The Power of the Word

William Byrd lived during complicated times. Born, it is thought, in 1540, he lived in an England going through religious upheavals. As a teenager, he sang in the Royal Chapel during the reign of Mary Tudor (who sought to replace the Protestantism encouraged by her father, Henry VIII, with Catholicism). When Byrd was 18, Mary died and was succeeded by Queen Elizabeth, who returned England to the Protestant faith.

Although on the surface he conformed to the various shifts in religious preferences, Byrd remained attached to England’s Catholics, sometimes secretly, even publishing some of his music anonymously. Yet his reputation grew, and he left a legacy that impacted generations of composers of church and secular music.

Byrd described how, even in the face of these quarrels and divisions, he found himself powerfully moved more by words from the Bible. He described the “power hidden away and stored up in those words.” Even during England’s changes in church structure, theology, and doctrine, the power of God’s Word prevailed.

Others who lived before and after Byrd can testify to the power of the Word. The Bible tells us that “the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Something changes when we read and study the Scriptures. When we allow this power to invade our hearts and minds, we are transformed. Our minds can be renewed (Romans 12:2). We think and act differently.

Remember these principles in your life. Political and religious movements will come and go. Men and women will rise to popularity and then fall. But God’s Word “will stand forever.” Fill your heart and mind with the Word. Make it the foundation of your life.