“The reason we come away so cold from reading the word is because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation.” ― Donald S. Whitney
Campers know the importance of making a fire. A fire provides warmth, a place to cook, light, and a deterrent for animals when you are miles from electricity. I like to gather two or three times as much firewood as I will need to get through the night. Every thirty minutes to an hour the fire will need another log or two. If we all fall asleep and no one puts a log on the fire, it will be completely burned out by the morning and you will be cold.
The book of Joshua begins with Joshua leading God’s people after Moses died. The people of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years because of their lack of faith. Now, the next generation is positioned to enter the Promised Land.
This is the encouragement God gives Joshua:
Joshua 1:8 – “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.”
God commissions Joshua to hold firm to the Book of the Law before he leads the people into a foreign land filled with ungodly cultures. The Book of the Law refers to the first five books in our Bible, the only words of God the Israelites had up until this point in history.
God encourages Joshua to keep the Law on his lips – to read it, to meditate it, and to obey it. When potential spiritual fire extinguishers surrounded Joshua, God’s said to meditate on His word.
Careful obedience to God’s Word means that we must surround ourselves with God’s truth throughout our day. Reading God’s Word isn’t enough. There is an expectation for us to read the Bible, understand what it says, and apply it to our lives. Then, God told Joshua, we will be prosperous.
But many of us are apprehensive about the word “meditation.” Some hear the word and think about people sitting on the floor humming with their eyes closed. Others think about people who spend long hours in deep thoughts.
Many, in a desperate attempt to read more of the Bible, rush through Biblical passages. The goal isn’t how many minutes you spend in the Bible. The goal is to get more of the Bible in you. I’ve found that getting the Bible in me takes a slower and more thoughtful approach.
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Meditation is essential for our spiritual growth. Everyone has been guilty of hearing the Bible taught on a Sunday morning and forgetting the passage by Monday morning. If you want to grow spiritually, you can’t just get into the Word, the words of God must get into your heart and actions.
Here are a few areas we need to meditate on throughout our day.
Meditate On God’s Word
Meditate on Truths
The Bible is truth. It contains doctrine, historical facts, and stories of transformation. Meditating on the truth of God helps us navigate a culture that places little value on truth.
Meditate on Promises
The Bible gives encouragement. Scripture can give encouragements at the right time. God’s promises will always come true. Meditating on His promises throughout your day will encourage you to live a bold and unashamed life.
Meditate on the Attributes of Jesus
The Bible tells us about Jesus. It seems as if everyone has an opinion about who Jesus is and how He would respond in different situations. Meditate on the attributes and characteristics of Jesus to more fully understand what the Bible says about Jesus.
Now What?
While there are plenty of creative ways to surround yourself with Scripture. Sure, you can change your phone lock screen, set reminders for your Bible app, place post-it notes around your house to remind you of certain passages. I’ve found that the best way to meditate on the Bible is to have spiritual conversations.
For instance, discussing the Sunday morning sermon as you drive home is an easy way to engage in spiritual conversations and internalize the morning message. Share an encouragement that you found in God’s Word that morning. Join a small group that meets regularly to discuss what they are learning from their personal study of the Scriptures.
How do you meditate on the Word of God?
