NOURISHMENT FOR THE BELIEVER’S SOUL by Pastor Scott Henry

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

The only thing that can satisfy the longing in our soul is the Word of God. So often we are discontent with our possessions and when we obtain more in order to satisfy the longing in our soul we quickly learn that the hunger rages on. Why? Because the longing of man’s soul can only be satisfied by the Word of God; Scripture alone is the food for our soul. That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 4:4: “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” The Apostle Paul told the elders at Ephesus in Acts 20:32: “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” The Word of God is what the believer lives by; Scripture alone brings joy, comfort, peace, and satisfaction to our soul!

The Word of God brings light to our pathway and illuminates the way before our feet in this dark world (Psalm 119:105). This sinful world is a stumbling block of darkness on the pathway in which we walk. We cannot look to the wisdom of this world to give us guidance because the wisdom of this world is “foolishness, earthly, sensual, and demonic” (1 Corinthians 3:19; James 3:15). Only the Word of God is sufficient and dependable to guide us in this world. This doesn’t mean that we can’t turn to others for advice. The psalmist surely turned to his father, mother, and friends many times for counsel. But only when others give us counsel in accordance with the Word of God will their counsel be reliable, true and worthy to be followed (Psalm 1).

Is your soul discontent? Do you have a longing that’s never satisfied by the things of this world? Do you have troubles in your marriage or with your family? Do you struggle with certain sins in your life? The ONLY solution is to feed on the Word of God. The Word of God is the ONLY reliable and trustworthy guide that can give us the wisdom, strength, comfort and hope we need to withstand the temptations we face in this life (Romans 15:4). That’s why the Psalmist wrote: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). And again, “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:99). And once again, “…and that from childhood you have known the Scriptures which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). So the question is, have you had your spiritual nourishment today? “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby…” (1 Peter 2:2).