Flying to Durban this past weekend a thought came to mind as the air hostess was demonstrating safety and evacuation procedures to all passengers. She showed us from the chart what to do in an emergency situation and she also recommended that the passengers should go through this evacuation chart to familiarize themselves with the emergency procedure. I took an interest in looking at how many people did as they were told or even concentrated when this demonstration was done and I must admit very few paid attention to the airhostess. You could perhaps say the reason why they were acting this way was because:

• They are regulars so they know everything that needs to be known about safety.
• On the other hand you could argue that the reason why people use that airline is because the airline hardly has accidents and thus can be trusted, so there’s no need to be anxious about studying the emergency safety plan.

Immediately in my spirit came these thoughts:

Although we are really blessed as South Africans to be living in a country where there’s freedom of religion and Christianity is recognized and allowed to be practiced by anyone desiring to do so, thus the bible can be carried around or read by individuals without stringent conditions:

• How many “professed” Christians study the bible?
• How often do we study it?
• When/if we study it, do we apply the Word as taught?
• When/if we study it, what is our motive? Is it to attack someone with scripture? Is it correct? Is it just to claim that which we selfishly desire and thus need a backing scripture for it? Is it to win a spiritual debate? Or do we study it only when we are in trouble?
• Most importantly, do we internalize everything that is in the Word, so that the Word of God is alive in us? “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

Someday very soon when you shall land in great tribulation or will need to make a crucial decision about your life, pressed in a corner you won’t have the luxury of time to go through your bible to see whether you are on the right track or not. Now, during your spring and summer time feast on God’s Word, let it become alive in you. Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, they didn’t have bibles with them, but they were able to sing and preach Christ to others in that very situation because the Word was alive in them (Acts 16). Like some learners who are studying, or should I say cramming for the final examinations in order to pass, most Christians do not bother to internalize God’s Word and there is great danger in that. David (the psalmist) is a prime example of what it means to go beyond just knowing about the word. He shows how he had internalized God’s Word and how it was now alive in him. He declares the following in Psalm 119: 9; 11; 105 & 107.

• “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word”
• “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I may not sin against You.”
• “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
• “I am afflicted very much; Revive me, oh Lord, according to Your word.”

David realized that the Word is Christ (John 1:1-2) and if He (Christ the word) is alive in him, he’ll benefit much from Him in every situation he faces in life.

Do you know about the Word or do you know the Word?  Has God’s Word found a place in your heart and is it alive?

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…” Colossians 3: 16

Sipho Kaleni