2023-01-11
Psalm 19:8 NKJV
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes… More to be desired are they than gold… sweeter also than honey… by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (vv. 7-8, 10-14 NKJV).
This prayer shows that the psalmist regarded meditation as an utter necessity to his spiritual life. And if that was true for him in his day, how much more vital is it for you today! You need to bathe your mind each day in the waters of God’s Word so that your words and your thoughts are pleasing in His sight.
Use your time – the start of the day, at coffee break, during your lunchtime, riding home from work, before falling asleep at night – to reflect upon the truth of God’s Word. The greatest changes in your life will come through the process of meditating on the Scriptures – just letting the Word of God filter and percolate through your mind and into your life. First-class Bible reading calls not for snapshots but for timed exposures.
Soul food: Isa 30-33; Luke 2:8-20; Ps 71:1-16; Prov 2:1-2
Psalm 19:9 NLV
‘Die Here se voorskrifte is volkome, dit gee nuwe lewenskrag. Die bepalings van die Here is betroubaar; dit maak die eenvoudige verstandig. Die Here se bevele is reg, dit bring vreugde vir die hart. Die opdragte van die Here is duidelik; dit gee insig vir die lewe. Die gebooie van die Here is suiwer, dit bly vir altyd staan. Die Here se voorskrifte is reg; elkeen van hulle is regverdig. Hulle is kosbaarder as goud… Hulle is soeter as heuning… Dis ‘n waarskuwing vir u dienaar, en ‘n groot beloning vir dié wat dit gehoorsaam. Wie kan sy eie oortredings herken? Spreek my vry oor verborge sondes, en bewaar my van opsetlike sondes! Laat hulle nie oor my heers nie. Dan sal ek vry wees van skuld, en onskuldig aan groot oortredings. Mag die woorde van my mond en die gedagtes van my hart vir U aanneemlik wees, Here, my rots en my Verlosser’ (verse 8-15 NLV).
Hierdie gebed wys dat die Psalmdigter meditasie as ‘n absolute noodsaaklikheid vir sy geestelike lewe geag het. As dit vir hom in sy dag waar was, hoeveel te meer is dit nie vandag vir jou noodsaaklik nie! Jy moet jou gedagtes elke dag in die waters van God se Woord reinig sodat jou woorde en gedagtes vir God aanneemlik mag wees.
Gebruik jou tyd – die begin van die dag, jou teetyd, terwyl jy huis toe bestuur, voor jy in die aand aan die slaap raak – om oor die waarheid van God se Woord na te dink. Die grootste verandering in jou lewe sal deur die proses van meditasie oor die Skrif meegebring word – deur die Woord van God toe te laat om deur jou gedagtes te filter en in jou lewe te perkoleer.
Sielskos: Jes 30-33; Luk 2:8-20; Ps 71:1-16; Spr 2:1-2
2023-01-10
Psalm 119:97 NKJV
Bible meditation is different from meditation as we know it in our society. Meditation, as popularly taught by the Eastern philosophies, tells you to empty your mind. That’s the exact opposite of what the Scriptures say! Bible meditation means filling your mind with the truth God has revealed. David was a king. Imagine the pressures and problems, demands and decisions he faced each day. Yet he said, “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”
Have you observed that we waste an awful lot of time doing mundane things such as holding on the phone, waiting in line, driving to work? In big cities, people often spend an hour or more going to work, and the same coming home. That’s ten hours a week. Forty hours a month. Four hundred eighty hours a year. That’s an extraordinary amount of time!
The question is, what are you doing with your mind during this time? Just driving along with your mind in neutral? Or listening to the radio or a CD or music on your smartphone? Or getting angry at all the drivers around you? What a great time to get your mind in gear! What an opportunity to grow spiritually and mentally!
What exercise does for your body, meditation does for your soul. The Bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV). A sign on someone’s office wall read: “You are not what you think you are. But what you think – you are!” If you want your life to be different, start thinking different thoughts; meditate on God’s Word!
Soul food: Isa 26-29; Luke 2:1-7; Ps 46; Prov 1:32-33
Psalm 119:97 NLV
Bybelse meditasie is anders as meditasie soos die samelewing dit ken. Die Oosterse filosofieë leer mens dat jy jou gedagtes moet leegmaak. Dis presies die teenoorgestelde wat die Skrif sê! Bybelse meditasie beteken dat jy jou gedagtes met die waarheid wat God geopenbaar het, vul. Dawid was ‘n koning. Dink jou net die druk en probleme, eise en besluite waarvoor hy elke dag te staan gekom het, in. Tog het hy gesê: ‘Hoe lief het ek u gebooie! Ek oordink dit die hele dag.’
Het jy al opgemerk dat ons vreeslik baie tyd aan alledaagse dinge soos op die foon wees, in rye wag en bestuur, bestee? In groot stede neem dit mense dikwels ‘n uur of meer om by die werk te kom en dieselfde om weer by die huis te kom. Dis tien ure ‘n week. Veertig ure ‘n maand. Vier-honderd-en-tagtig ure ‘n jaar. Dis ‘n ongelooflike hoeveelheid tyd!
Die vraag is: wat doen jy met jou gedagtes gedurende hierdie tyd? Ry jy net voort met jou gedagtes in neutraal? Of luister jy na die radio of musiek? Of raak jy kwaad vir die bestuurders rondom jou? Wat ‘n goeie tyd om jou gedagtes in rat te sit! Wat ‘n geleentheid om geestelik te groei! Wat oefening vir jou liggaam doen, doen meditasie vir jou siel. Die Bybel sê: ‘Want soos hy in sy siel bereken, so is hy…’ (Spreuke 23:7 AFR53). ‘n Plakkaat op iemand se kantoormuur het gelees: ‘Jy is nie wat jy dink jy is nie. Maar wat jy dink – is jy!’
As jy wil hê dat jou lewe anders moet wees, moet jy ander gedagtes begin dink; mediteer dus op God se Woord!
Sielskos: Jes 26-29; Luk 2:1-7; Ps 46; Spr 1:32-33
2023-01-09
Joshua 1:8 NAS
Bible meditation has fallen out of favour. Why? Because we live in an instantaneous society, and a preoccupied society. We have so much stuff coming at us from TV, cell phones, email, texts, snail mail, satellite links, cable news feeds, and podcasts that we hardly have a moment to react – much less reflect.
Get real! You can’t “download” spiritual maturity by hitting a few keys on a computer. That’s why the Scriptures speak so often about meditation. God, the author of the Bible, gave Joshua the formula for succeeding in your career and prospering in whatever you put your hand to: “This Book of the law shall not depart from your mouth [speak the Scriptures every chance you get], but you shall meditate on it [when?] day and night, so that you may be careful to do [not just know, but do!] according to all [you can’t pick and choose] that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (v. 8 NAS).
Note the words “you will make.” To succeed in life, you must do something. Do what? Meditate in God’s Word! How often? “Day and night.” So what portion of Scripture were you thinking about this morning as you started your day? Or while driving to and from work?
For that matter, when was the last time you consciously reflected on any Bible truth or principle? If you can’t remember, start making some changes right away. Paul told Timothy: “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all” (1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV). And that’s still the rule!
Soul food: Isa 22-25; Luke 1:67-80; Ps 42:6-11; Prov 1:28-31
