Daily devotion – Meditating on the Word of God.
Meditating on God’s Word
Psalm 1:2 – “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
In Psalm 1 we move from the negative in verse 1 to the positive in verse 2. The blessed man not only refuses the counsel of the ungodly, but he also delights in God’s Word. Delighting in the Scriptures and meditating upon them always go together. Whatever we truly enjoy, we naturally think about, return to, and pursue.
The biblical meaning of meditate is very different from the modern idea of emptying the mind. The Hebrew word means “to mutter” or “to read in an undertone.” This is why orthodox Jews often softly speak the Scriptures as they read, meditate, and pray. God’s Word is on their lips as well as in their hearts.
There is a wonderful truth here: if we speak to the Lord about His Word, His Word will speak to us about the Lord.
This is what it means to abide in the Word (1 John 2:14, 24). As we continually fill our hearts and minds with Scripture, we enjoy a deeper fellowship with Christ and grow stronger in our faith.
God’s people should value His Word even above their daily food. The psalmist declared, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103). Just as our bodies require daily nourishment, our souls cannot thrive apart from the regular intake of God’s truth.
The way we treat the Bible reflects the way we treat Jesus Christ, for the Bible is His living Word to us.
Tomorrow morning, begin your day by feasting on God’s Word. During a quiet moment or break, return to it again. Then, as you prepare to rest at day’s end, close your day by reading and meditating upon His Word. As you delight in the Scriptures day and night, you will discover the blessing and stability of the one who walks with the Lord.