by Erik Brandt

A friend of mine has a daily practice. When he wakes up he presses play on his audio Bible phone app and listens to the scriptures being read as the first thing he does each day. This has become a habit over time with the result he has internalized a vast amount of scripture.

Our daily habits can work powerfully for us in strengthening our faith. Seeking to hear God’s word and live a life with God works itself out in small, steady, intentional practices and decisions we make every day.

I remember memorizing Joshua 1:8 as a young man:

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Internalized scripture lights our way throughout the day and gives us nourishment for our souls.

Coming together weekly for worship helps set a rhythm for our week where we give and receive encouragement and instruction and then go out to serve during the week wherever we are.

What practices help you set the Lord continually before you?

When people visit us, what impressions do they get of our congregation? Wouldn't it be great if when people visit the church at Olney they experienced us as:

A people of prayer. Let us be people known for prayer. For each other. In praise and adoration of God. In seeking God's will for our lives. Paul exhorted us to pray without ceasing as the early church modeled its devotion to prayer.

A people of scripture. Churches of Christ have been known historically as "people of the book." Let us live up to this description as we are people who hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on the words of the Bible, not just out of a sense of duty but also out of an insatiable desire to know our great God and savior Jesus Christ and to learn his plan for our lives.

A people of friendship. The American Heritage Dictionary says a friend is "someone whom one knows, likes and trusts." A friend is also "a person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause." Let us be known as people who are not only friends of Jesus, but also friends of each other and friends of those we meet at home, at work, at school, and in the community.

Let us therefore be people of prayer, scripture, and friendship! By so doing we will fulfill the greatest commands to love God and love our neighbor.

Erik Brandt