Blind, Yet Seeing God’s Glory
I became a Christian at 22. At the time I was single and seemed to embody Paul’s description of being unmarried and undistracted (1 Cor. 7:32–34). All I wanted to do, besides hang out with friends, was to read and study God’s Word. I memorized and meditated and enjoyed meeting with him, often for hours at a time.
Now as a married woman with two children and various other responsibilities, I see why Paul highlights the various liberties for the Lord one possesses when single. And though I am easily distracted by many good things, I can indeed still spend time with the Lord by reading his Word.
Blind Yet Seeing
When l heard the news about J. I. Packer’s blindness, I was immediately aware of how valuable those days of digging in the Word were for me as a young believer and how important it is to continue prioritizing God’s Word. Packer may be blind, but his decades of studying God’s Word will undoubtedly return sweet rewards as he recites passages in his mind. As I imagined Packer—or any older man who has spent a lifetime learning about God—counseling me on how to invest my life, I thought of Psalm 1:
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Ps. 1:1–6).
Delighting in God’s Law
The law of the Lord gets a bad rap these days. It is often seen as heavy and oppressive. Yet, Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17). The entire Old Testament points to our messiah and all the precious promises are yes and amen in him (2 Cor. 1:20). We could not follow God’s law apart from the work and grace of our Savior. Understanding that, I read Psalm 1 and many other passages, and I see a people delighting and rejoicing in the law.
Psalm 119 alone includes eight verses in which the psalmist delights in God’s statutes (16, 24, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174). And if you read all of Psalm 119, you’ll see there’s great joy and rejoicing as they sing and celebrate God’s Torah. God’s Word points to something greater than ourselves and that’s worth celebrating.
Delighting in Our Standing Place
The man who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night doesn’t sound as if his life is a drag. He doesn’t sound like someone who is heavy-laden and burdened. He’s happy in the Lord, “blessed” (Ps. 1:1). He has resisted unhelpful counsel.
The person who meditates on all the Word understands Jesus is the reason he can stand. Jesus is the strong foundation. He won’t be blown away like chaff since he knows God’s Word is good and useful and true and that Jesus is his only hope. You and I have the freedom to meditate on God’s law day and night while also resting in the grace of God (Matt. 11:28).
Hide It in Your Heart
So, what does this have to do with Dr. Packer or us? Though Dr. Packer may not be able to read God’s Word, he may not need to because of a life lived in it. He will be able to recall all those wonderful promises that are yes and amen in Jesus. His days will certainly not be time wasted.
Like Mary, I want to treasure all I hear and see in my heart (Luke 2:19). Like the psalmist, let’s meditate on God’s law. Let’s soak in the Word of God now, while we can, if we can. Memorize Scripture. Store up his Word in our hearts (Ps. 119:11). We will not regret time spent in his Word.
When it is our day to lose sight, when we can no longer speak, when we can no longer lift our heads or hands, when we can’t sit in our favorite chair with our coffee and our Bibles, may we remember words like:
God is near to the brokenhearted; If God is for me, who can be against me; I can draw near to the throne of grace and receive help in my time of need; In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word is God, and this is Jesus; one day all the tears will be wiped away and you and I will have a new body and a new and better home.
What hope we have in Jesus! Seek him in the Word, find him, and remember him now so you can remember him in the day of trouble.
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