My
son (Cade), was practicing quoting Psalm 1 for last Sunday’s service, and when
he got to verse 2 he said, and I quote, “But his delight is in the law of the
Lord and on this law he medicates day and night”. Jen and I were laughing to ourselves but
trying not to show him as he continued on, but since I’m a preacher I
immediately began to think of how I could use this funny story as an
illustration.
It
didn’t take long for me to figure out that we do treat God’s Word as we would a
bottle of Advil or Aspirin often times. You
typically don’t take medicine until you are sick, and often it only treats the
symptoms. Hmmm sound familiar? We could go weeks w/o picking up the Holy
Scriptures (except of course on Sundays at Church) and then as soon as things
begin to fall apart, or we need some special guidance, or we need deliverance,
we run to God in prayer, and even venture to pick up His Word and read it. Oftentimes we use the Bible to treat our
symptoms rather than the real problem.
The
1st Psalm clearly says that we are blessed, contented, and happy when we
meditate (not medicate) on God’s Word.
Does the Bible help us in time of need? – YES! Does it help to heal our hearts? – Amen to
that – etc., but I submit to you that if that is the only way you are using
God’s Spoken Word, you are missing out on huge blessings that are yours to
claim as a Christian.
We
sometimes associate the word meditate to Eastern religions and maybe even tend
to discount it, but I would challenge you to find an older book that talks more
about meditation than God’s Written Word.
I have had my thinking challenged recently as to whether I am filling my
heart (not just reading) with God’s Word on a consistent basis or not. I’ve also asked myself if I am consciously
and intentionally taking time to meditate on how His Word can impact and change
my life, my thinking, my words, my actions, my ability to be a Godly father, and
husband, and minister, and friend, and so on.
And so, I pass this challenge on to you.
Would
you consider this week how you can begin or improve upon the intentional
process of meditating on God’s Word and see how it changes your life? Then get back to me and let me know, because
it is encouraging to hear about others who allow God’s Presence and Scripture
to change their lives.
In
Christ, Lance
