Meditating On The Word

Theme

As we pray this week, we are preparing ourselves to be the people of God by training our minds by meditating on Scripture

Scriptures

Colossians 3:16: Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Psalm 119:9-16: How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

    By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;

    do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart

    that I might not sin against you.

Praise be to you, Lord;

    teach me your decrees.

With my lips I recount

    all the laws that come from your mouth.

I rejoice in following your statutes

    as one rejoices in great riches.

I meditate on your precepts

    and consider your ways.

I delight in your decrees;

    I will not neglect your word.

Reflect

I have a love/hate relationship with getting directions on my phone. On one hand, it gives me up to the minute traffic and road conditions which can help immensely while navigating the busy freeways of Southern California. 

On the other hand, sometimes the suggested detour takes me deep into some "less than desirable" neighborhoods and I wonder if I might be better off enduring the snail's pace of the original route.

Psalm 119:9 presents us with a question about how to stay on the path of purity. The next verse answers with, "By carefully reading the map of your Word." (the Message). 

God gives us a roadmap to stay on that path of purity; seek God with all my heart, don't stray from God's commands, and hide God's word in our hearts. This hiding  doesn't mean we should keep it away from others but that we should know it so well we can pull it up any time we need guidance. 

We should read God's word then meditate, ponder, consider, think about it over and over again until we know it so well that we can pull it up in our minds whenever we need guidance. When the road of life gets bumpy, and it will, we have scripture that helps us navigate those roads.

Colossians 3:16 tells us to, "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly." To dwell is to move in, unpack, settle in, get comfy, and feel at home. 

This is how scripture should be in our hearts. We should know it well and be comfortable with what it means and how to use it. If scripture is dwelling in our hearts we will always have it handy to guide us in all of life's circumstances.

The remaining verses in our Psalm passage show us that God's word keeps us from sin and brings joy and delight. I want that, don't you? 

And Colossians reminds us that when the message of Christ dwells among us richly, we are to teach and admonish with all wisdom. That wisdom comes from knowing Scripture. 

And, finally, we can join together with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in our hearts. Gratitude is a natural outpouring when we focus on God's word because we are reminded of what God has done for us in the past and His promise for our future.

If we stay on God's path of purity He will guide us on the best route. It won't always be smooth but His way is always the best way.

Pray

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for giving us your word as a roadmap for our lives. Help me stay on your path of purity and let your word give me direction. In this I will find my joy and delight.

Amen