Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Josh 1:8 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.
The Hebrew word for meditate (Meleta Ton) used in these two verses means “to practice, study or care for.” We can’t hope to appropriate the Word of God (Logon Tou Theou) into our lives unless we put forth the effort. It should be our delight to meditate on the Word instead of the things of this world.
The word meditate has been given a bad name through association with many Eastern religions. It’s not intended to carry that negative connotation here as we are commanded by God to meditate by God (Josh 1:8). The problem is not meditation itself, rather it’s the focus of that meditation. It’s very popular for man to meditate on himself today to determine all that he is capable of.
These two scriptures, among many, clearly set forth our focus and the reward for being obedient. On the other hand, anything man can generate through fleshly meditation will only bring, at best, fleeting happiness that is guaranteed to be temporal and unsatisfying. Meditating on the Word of God, however, brings joy that is eternally satisfying. Man can’t fill his spiritual void with the things of this world, no matter how much he mutters and ponders upon them.
I like to think that the expression meditate therein day and night represents what our friend Enoch was doing in his Walk With God. An integral part of our relationship with Jesus is an ongoing dialogue with Him throughout the day, thinking and
pondering His Word; living in the Holiest Place with Him; His Spirit.
In my life I have grown to love the Word in a way that I never
thought possible. As I’ve spent time in studying it the Holy Spirit has been faithful to reveal new and exciting truths to me each day. One of the most exciting benefits is the way in which He always seems to point out something that impacts my exact situation. I must admit however, that sometimes He keeps pointing out something in my life that I would just as soon put in the past. He will never let a lie supplant the truth of the Word and if we’re obedient to that truth, we will see ourselves mature as Christians. Jesus will ensure that we move from faith-to-faith, from glory-to-glory, from Teknon (immature adopted child of God) to Huios (fully mature child of God).
We need to be ever mindful of the place and the power of the Word in our life. Along with the Holy Spirit it provides the answer for every question and the sword for every attack of the enemy. If we use it wisely and as our first choice, our Walk With God will be a wonderful and exciting adventure. Who knows better what we need than the One who created us, breathed life into us, revealed Himself to us in His Word, and paid the costliest ransom price for us. Surely this is someone we need to spend time with. God gave us His Word—His Son—as the centerpiece of our relationship with Him. To fully enjoy that relationship we need to take time to communicate with HIm every day as the benefit is awesome.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing the Word of God.