The bible says,
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8
Meditating on the World
Oh, how our modern world challenges that command. On the contrary, meditating on everything counter-cultural to the Word of God is the easy thing to do. All day long the world presents its ideas, images, thoughts before my mind. I’m bombarded with advertisements with claims to bring me joy and success. The next weight loss pill. A sleek, sexy item to purchase. I turn to Facebook for a few updates from friends and family and can’t avoid colorful quotes full for self-promotion and justification. Quotes framed as positive ideas meant to encourage people while laced with pride and dependence on self over God.
Power of Ideas
As I continue to grow in the kingdom of God, I realize the extreme power my thoughts and ideas. They are one of the basic sources of my life. They determine the orientation of everything I do and evoke the feelings that frame my world and motivate my actions. As a matter of fact, a large part of becoming a follower is exchanging old ideas (world culture) with new ideas (from God’s Word). But the way my life was set up, I didn’t stand a chance.
How can I believe the things that Christ says about me if I’m constantly hearing and seeing things that counteract his Word? The reality is I’m meditating on the world, not the Word. To do otherwise, I must be intentional. I can’t just go with the flow.
The Word is Nourishment
I must admit, part of my issue was how I viewed meditating on the Word. I saw it as an act of merit. Something to be done to be a good Christian. A way to earn a certain status. That’s not it at all. Its an act of survival. Like food to my stomach, the Word is to my heart. I can’t go too long without food or my body starts to break down. Same. I can’t go too long without the Word or my heart starts to break down.
Practicality
The question is how do I feed on the Word as easily as the world sends me all its messages. It’s a 24-hour job. The bible says to meditate on the Word, day and night. Setting aside one hour to read my bible every day just won’t do it. I need friends that speak to the Word to me. I need his Word plastered on the walls of my house. I adjust my Facebook settings and friend list so that his Word dominates my timeline. I read books that edify rather than watching standard TV programming. I ask the Lord for revelation and reasoning throughout the day.
I thank you, Lord, for
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105
