MEDITATE
“This
book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8
The
main focus of our meditation is to be God’s Word. God instructs Joshua to make it paramount in
his life - day and night thinking and adjusting his life according to God’s
Word. Seeking to obey at every turn.
The
goal of meditation is obedience. As we
come to understand what we are meditating upon, we must also seek to actively
apply it to our lives. Only by obedient
application of truth will we find the success God promised Joshua.
Look
again at the verse. Meditate…observe…do. Here is the method of meditation God gave to
Joshua.
Meditate - ponder, concentrate
your thought upon.
Observe - like a sleuth; watch carefully how you are applying what the Word is saying. Look for the motives and thoughts behind the Scripture. What would this teaching look like in real life? Imagine
the usage of the verse’s instruction in various situations – take time to consider what is being taught.
Do - perform it. Work at it.
Act it out.
It
will require discipline and perseverance, yet we act because we know God
honours obedience above all. Proverbs
24:16 “For a just man falleth seven
times, and riseth up again…” We will
not quit. If we are to succeed in our
pursuit of holiness we must persevere in spite of failure. We must be actively seeking to live out what
we learn and observe from Scripture.
Do
you have a favourite verse of Scripture?
Why not use it for meditation practice?
Try today’s method – Meditate – Observe – Do.
MEDITATE
“Think on these things….”
Philippians 4:8
I think this is the simplest definition for
meditation: to think upon. It has been
said that what we think about we eventually do or become. I know in my own life that my thoughts do
control my moods and my reactions.
Have you ever had a song get stuck in your
head? Or, maybe a word? Or, a wild idea? It can be really hard to get it to go away! Well, meditation can be like that too. A special Scripture, or a precious truth can
also be planted in our thoughts so that it can be used of the Holy Spirit to
direct our moods, reactions, and attitude and it can stay with us all day, if
we will focus our thinking upon it!
This verse in Philippians directs us toward
deciphering our thoughts. It is a
wonderful tool. Simply take the thought
and test it by the list given. Is the
thought true, is it honest, is it just (fair), is it pure, is it lovely, is it
of good report (worth repeating publically) is it virtuous (good) and is it
worth praise?
So what it if fails to meet the test? Then toss it out! Refuse to think about it. Write it out as a sentence and then change it
to a statement that would meet the criteria.
Confess the wrongful thought to the Lord and ask Him to show you others
ways to think.
The mind is a muscle and Scripture teaches us
how to exercise it. A well-exercised,
disciplined mind is a great tool. Think
about it!
What thoughts take precedent in your
mind? Do you need to test them against
God’s Word? Do you need to toss some of
them aside?
MEDITATE
“In the multitude of my
thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:
Meditation
can be very difficult in the world in which we live. We are assaulted with information continually
through television, radio, personal music devices, computers and the general
noise of life. Our thoughts can become
so confusing and crowded that a quiet place is virtually impossible.
We get just
too busy with stuff that we fail to take time for the things that give life
meaning and fulfillment. It is wonderful
when God stops us long enough for us to recognize His beauty and interaction in
our lives. We are whirling round and all
of a sudden a song speaks to our hearts, or a word is heard that brings great comfort
and love to our soul. Isn’t it amazing
how God can break through even the busiest moment with his love and care?
That special
moment is a perfect opportunity to stop the whirling and respond to His
love. Relish the moment. Make yourself a record of the interaction by
journaling it, or sharing it with someone else.
“In all thy ways acknowledge Him…” That
is what the writer of Proverbs is telling us.
And this acknowledgment comes with a promise…”and He shall direct thy paths.”
God’s
interaction is not an interruption.
What noise do
you need to eliminate from your life in order to meditate and hear from
God? Do you take time to acknowledge His
working in your life?
MEDITATE
“This
book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8
“Observe
to do”. Let’s think about that just a
bit more. It means, “to consider well,
to watch carefully.” Meditation
increases our ability to discern our thoughts and actions. It gives us an inner guide or strength that
has not come from our own mind, but from the observance of Scriptural example
and admonition.
It
is an interesting practice to train your mind to think about the motives behind
the words you say and the deeds you do. Try
this, before you respond to your child, spouse, or work colleague, ask
yourself, “Why am I responding in this manner?
What do I hope to accomplish or what outcome do I desire? What part of my own ego will be caressed by
this response?” Many times you find that
you are acting from pride or a desire to manipulate the situation or others for
your own gain rather than a desire to be used of God as a tool for health in
the situation. It can be very humbling!
We
aren’t really complex creature, just sinful ones! We want to make our lives happy and easy and
sometimes we don’t care who we hurt in the process. We don’t observe our lives; we just plunder
through. We don’t examine ourselves; we criticize
others. We don’t seek to live by God’s rules; we live by our own. Then we wonder why life is hard and why
others don’t play with us nicely.
Real
success isn’t all about money. It is all
about accountability and resourcefulness.
It is about being able to lay your head on your pillow without regret or
guilt. Success is a peaceful and
contented life brought about by observing God’s Word and consistently applying
it to our lives.
Are
you capable of discerning your own motivation?
Do you observe to do the right things?
Are you scripturally successful?
MEDITATE
“Meditate
on these things, give thyself wholly to them;
that thy profiting may appear to all.” I Timothy 4:15
Paul is speaking to Timothy about life skills
and the use of the gifts God had entrusted to him. He instructs him to really think about all he
has been given and to use them fully so that others will see God at work in his
life. In the next verse he goes on to
encourage him to keep his life pure and his doctrine defined both for his
benefit and for the benefit of those around him.
This is simple and clear instruction for us as
well. There are Biblical life skills
that we all need to learn and practice.
From just this one chapter we can see the need to discern who we would
listen to and follow, to avoid gossip, to live a godly life, to be a good
example in our speech, lifestyle, and spirit, to keep ourselves in the Word of
God and prayer, to know our doctrine and to use the gifts God has given us for
other.
There are also blessings attached. If we follow God’s design for life, we will be
useful, nourished, and thankful.
Ultimately, our light will shine, because our “profiting” will be
apparent to those around us. This profiting means progress. Others will see us growing and gaining.
So, meditation and the observance of what we
learn are beneficial for our growth. It
increases our testimony and spiritual stamina.
It gives us a witness, or rather, it gives God the witness. Because, as others see us growing and
developing they will either recognize that God is working in our lives and give
Him glory, or, they will ask us about what they see and we can give Him glory
as we share our new found secrets of live.
Either way we profit! Either way we have success! Meditate on this! Think about it. Think about your life…is it profiting and can
those around you see it?
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