Today I am linking up with #She Reads Truth, a community of women reading the bible together. During Lent we medidate on passages and then share our thoughts on them. You can find more thoughts on the project of #She Shares Truth.
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“This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.
Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
These powerful verses can be found at the beginning of the book of Joshua. Moses, the great leader of the Israelites through forty years of wandering in the desert, had just died, and now Joshua is the leader. And just as God had spoken to Moses many years ago to annoint, challenge and encourage him – the same way does God now speak to Joshua. He reminds Joshua of the many times Moses could experience godly provision and divine intervention; whatever promises was true then is true now.
And God gives him a very simple instruction that will lead to success: medidate on the word of God. Stay with the book of the law. Joshua, the leader who was expected to speak up and guide his people, is now called to meditate in silence. To think things over, to observe and reflect rather than to speak.
Meditating is a piece of work.
It is so much easier to speak and share and come up with premature conclusions. Oh, there is a time for sharing. There will be a time when we need to speak up and share.
But before that time goes, there is time to medidate.
To observe. To let it sink in.
To observe. To let it sink in.
Joyce Huggett has put it very well when she says that meditation means “to give God’s words the opportunity to penetrate, not just our minds, but our emotions — the places where we hurt — and our will — the place where we make choices and decisions.”
This is not easy. This is a decision we need to make every day.
Do we take some time to spend with the word?
To not just fulfill our duty, but to let it sink in?
Do we let the word of God penetrate the very core of our being?
Meditation is not in vain.
I love how God puts a promise for Joshua right after the challenge he has for him. Meditation and observation will lead to wise decisions and success. I am not saying our lives will be problem-free all the time, but having a solid foundation and guideline in the word of God will make many things in life more bearable, enjoyable and purposeful.
Not all of us might be Joshuas. Not all of us are given the task of conquering an unknown country.
But all of us are called to step up at some point. To take a stand during the day or at some point in our lives. But before we do that we should work below the surface to become “strong, vigorous and VERY courageous” (I love that VERY in verse 9 J).
And we can be sure that just as God promised to be with Joshua on this next part of the journey, he will go with us and will make our foundation we acquired in these quiet moments of meditation prosper.
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Hi Katha,
I love how you mention that meditation is not in vain. I know I don't do it often enough. I spend time in God's Word because I know it is important, but at times I think I do it to tick a mental box in my head off my to-do list rather than to let it sink in and penetrate. Thank you for this!!