The Fruitful Word

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Isaiah 55:10-11

The word of God doesn’t just sit there like a museum of antique truth that you can visit if you wish, but otherwise avoid. It is, as we read in Hebrews, “alive and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). When God’s truth is read, spoken, studied, preached, reflected upon, and obeyed, it changes individual lives. It alters relationships. It renews families. The word of God transforms organizations: churches, businesses, even governments.

This series of Daily Reflections is built upon the conviction that God’s word “always produces fruit.” The more we let the word of God in Scripture fill our minds and hearts, the more we let it guide our daily living, the more we will prosper. This doesn’t mean that every time we read Scripture will be a watershed moment in our lives. For the most part, our daily meditation upon God’s word will have a modest, perhaps even an invisible impact. But, over time, the more we reflect upon the truth of God, the more we will be changed, becoming more like him.

When I go through times of spiritual dryness, I wonder if God’s word is active in my life. It’s easy to doubt. But I take encouragement from the promise of God is Isaiah: “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How has the word of God made a difference in your life? How is God’s word active in your life these days? What is God saying to you?

PRAYER: O Lord, how I thank you for your word today. Your word, revealed in the law and the prophets, captured in the whole of Scripture, and incarnate in Jesus Christ, is powerful and transformative. Your word offers truth, guidance, hope, and vision. The more I reflect upon your word, the more I am changed to be like you. What a joy!

May your word permeate my life, dear Lord. May I think about it, meditate upon it, obey it, and share it with others. Even as your word transforms me, may I be a source of transformation in my world. Whether in my family or in my workplace, whether at church or in the community, may your word lead me to be an agent of renewal. Let your word produce in my life an abundant harvest for you. Amen.