Hey, welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The devotional for today titled Grasping God's Word was written by James Banks.

A rugged, cast-iron ring stood strong against the harsh Minnesota winter as it hung on the doorframe of my great-uncle's old farmhouse.

More than a hundred feet away was another ring firmly fixed to the dairy barn.

When there was a blizzard, my uncle would attach a line between both

rings so that he could find the path between the house and the barn. Keeping a firm grip on the

line kept him from losing his way in the blinding snow. My uncle's use of a safety line in a snowstorm

reminds me of how the psalmist David used lines of Hebrew poetry

to trace how God's wisdom guides us through life and guards us against sin and error.

In Psalm 19 he declares, the decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more

precious than gold, than much pure gold. They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the

honeycomb. By them your servant is worn. In keeping them, there is great reward. A firm grasp of the truths of Scripture,

informed by God's spirit working in our hearts, keeps us from losing our way and helps us

make decisions that honor God and others. The Bible warns us against wandering from God

and shows us the way home.

It tells us of the priceless love of our Savior and the blessings that await all who place their faith in Him.

Scripture is a lifeline. May God help us cling to it always.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is taken from Psalm 19, verses 7 through 14.

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. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the

Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold.

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