Years ago after a day of skiing we stopped on the way home for dinner. The kids and my wife decided on a place that served Japanese bowls, hot rice and teriyaki chicken sounding fabulous after a cold day on the slopes.

As we ordered the waitress showed me a special offering. If I signed up for their frequent guest card, I immediately got 20% off the first meal, along with a discount for every visit thereafter. The persistent server explained that by taking the plastic card I could enjoy immediate savings, even if I never returned. She glanced at my family, then looked me in the eye and commented with more than a dash of shrewdness—Why would you not do that?

I took the card.

This morning I was struck by the even better deal found in the Scriptures. Psalm 19 reads:

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

What does the Word of God provide? Among other things, refreshment, wisdom, joy, light, warnings and rewards. What better way to start a new year than to develop a habit yielding such benefits? It’s quite simple. If I commit time and thought to the words written in the Good Book and begin to apply them to my life, then I prosper.

Why would I not do that?

Psalm 19 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Ryan Kwok