2 Kings 22:8
“And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.”
A troubling statement is found in the verse above when Shaphan the scribe said, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.” Finding God’s Word is not what is troubling, but it being found in the house of the LORD is what is troubling. Of all places that God’s Word should have been on display, it should have been on display in the house of the LORD. Apparently, God’s Word had been buried with all the other stuff that they were removing from the temple in its repair. It is no wonder that they were in a troubling spiritual condition. If God’s Word was not at the forefront of the house of the LORD, certainly God’s commandments would not have been on their minds either.
What I also find troubling in today’s world is that God’s Word is not the centerpiece in the average Christian household. I can remember a day when in every house the Word of God was the centerpiece of the living room. There used to be a day when every home had a family Bible sitting on the coffee table in their living room. Today, you would have to search the average home to find a Bible that’s not hidden in a drawer or on some shelf. Having the Word of God on display will do several things for the Christian.
First, it tells everyone coming into the home that this is a Christian home. I love it when I go to visit a home and people either have pictures of verses hanging on the wall or Scriptures cut out in vinyl lettering on the entrance wall of the house. When God’s Word is on display, it tells everyone who enters your home that this is a Christian home and that you are not ashamed to identify with Christ.
Second, putting God’s Word on display in your home will help you to live a more moral life. There is something about putting God’s Word where everyone can see it that keeps you from doing things you should not do. You may think it won’t help, but your eyes see it subconsciously and it is a reminder that God is watching. People don’t want to do wrong in the presence of God’s Word. You will find that your home will be a better place when you put God’s Word on display.
Third, putting God’s Word on display will remind you of your need to read it daily. When God’s Word is hidden, it is easily forgotten in the busyness of your daily schedule. When you put God’s Word on display, you are reminded every morning to take time to spend with God in His Word. God’s Word being on display becomes that spiritual alarm clock that it is time to spend with God in the Scriptures.
I know to many this devotional may seem to be a little ridiculous, but there are great benefits to having God’s Word on display in your house. Your children should never be helping you clean your home and stumble across God’s Word and wonder what it is. They should see God’s Word on display in your house. They should know that your home is a Christian home, not just in word, but in the public display of God’s Word in the home. Let me encourage you to take inventory of your home and see if God’s Word is on display. If it is not, let me encourage you to make it public for all to see.