Meditation: February 20, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2013

MEDITATION

DEFINITION:

To reflect upon; to think deeply about; to ponder.

SCRIPTURE:

I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Life is very busy. It seems there are more places to go, more people to meet and more things to do than we have time to do. It is true that none of us want a life without meaningful things to do, however, the fast pace of life today for many people threatens to rob them of the quietness that is needed in a person’s life.

It is like driving a car. Some people have their foot on the accelerator all of the time and ignore the slow down and stop signs. This kind of driver hardly knows where the brake is on their car. Stop signs and warning signs to slow down are reminders that to be safe we can’t have our foot on the accelerator all the time.

In all aspects of our life we need to learn to take time out just to reflect on our lives and think about the direction we are going. This is what many know as meditation time. The psalmist, in the verse we have put above, knew the importance of taking time just to be quiet and calm. It goes back to the creation of our world. God took time to be quiet and to rest on the seventh day.

We are told, in Matthew 14:13, that Jesus left the crowds that were listening to His messages and “rested a while.” In Mark 6:31, we find Jesus instructing the disciples “to come away to a desolate place and rest.” We can learn from these accounts. If Jesus and the psalmist David needed rest and a time of quiet, certainly so do we.

When we meditate, God wants us to meditate in the right way and on the right things. In Psalms we are given instruction on what we are to meditate on, and how we are to meditate.

•    We are to meditate on God’s commandments day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
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•    Our meditation must be acceptable in God’s sight. (Psalm 19:14)
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•    We are to meditate on God’s unfailing love. (Psalm 48:9)
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•    We are to meditate on all God’s works and mighty deeds. (Psalm 77:12)
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•    We are to meditate on His promises. (Psalm 119:148)
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•    We are to meditate on the glorious splendor of God’s majesty. (Psalm 145:5)
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Turn off the distractions in life that keep you from listening to the voice of God and let Him speak to you as you read His Word and meditate on our awesome Lord. Let Him refresh your heart and mind with the strength to live life for His glory. There are times every day in our lives when we need to stop and take a break from the busyness of our activities so that we can refresh our soul, as the psalmist says in Psalm 131:2.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:1.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

PRAYER:

Help me to stop right now and take the time to quiet my soul so You can speak to me from Your Word. Keep me meditating on Your love and mighty works and the glorious splendor of Your majesty.