Meditation

When I hear people talk about meditation, I think of those who practice Yoga or other Eastern religions. I've even heard people say one should clear the mind of all thought to reflect on your inner being.

In a sense I guess that is even what Christians should do to meditate. However, my inner being, because of my relationship with Jesus, is the Holy Spirit, part of the Trinity of the living God...Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So I could never clear my mind of all thought and I certainly wouldn't reflect on ME but on the living God, Creator of heaven and earth.

I started thinking about this as I read Psalm 1 today. "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seats of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night." (vs 1-2)

As I was typing this I noticed the progression of the downfall of man who does not delight in the law of the Lord. First he seeks counsel from unbelievers, then he begins to go where the sinners go, then finally he is counted as one of the family of scoffers as he joins in their scoffing. But that is not what I had on my mind...

The blessed man, or woman, meditates on the law of God day and night. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I am not under the law but under grace. However God, as my Father, expects me to live a life that brings glory and honor to His name. I can not do that on my own. Unless I know how to live such a life which comes from meditating on, not only the law, but the whole counsel of God found throughout the Bible I will fall way short of bringing glory and honor to God.

Reading God's word is not to be a cursory activity that I do to be obedient. But because God's word is alive and is truth, it has power. So thinking deeply, seriously, contemplatively (which is meditation) about what God says, changes my life by changing my thoughts, my desires, my purposes, my relationships - every aspect of who I am.

Day and night means constantly to me. Reading God's word and thinking about what it means is not just a Sunday thing to do. It should permeate my life so that wherever I am, whatever I am doing, I am doing it all for the glory of God.