Scripture:
I will meditate on Your precepts
And regard Your ways.
I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.  -Psalm 119:15-16 (NASB 1995)

Observation:
-It is important to meditate on God's Word
-God's Word should be a delight.

Application:
Meditation is a word Iyou have proboably heard.  There can be a lot of confusion about what it is.  Certainly we can find all kinds of instruction regarding this practice. For some, meditation involves a quieting of the mind, or an emptying of the mind in order to be filled with something of a divine nature.  There are many teachings even within the church today about "Christian meditation."  I submit to you that much of what is being taught these days is wrongly called "christian."  

The word meditate in this verse is the Hebrew word "siyach" which means "to ponder."  There is no mantra to recite, there is no quieting of the mind, there is no desire to become one with God.  The purpose is not to receive some new revelation from God.  For the Christian, meditation is a pondering of God's Word.  That's it.  It is what I do everyday as I sit down to write.  

Why is meditation so important?  Joshua 1:8 tells us why: This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. (NASB)  We meditate on God's word for by it we become obedient to Him.  We cannot hope to succeed without carefully doing all that is written in the Bible.  Now this does not mean that if we do not meditate on God's word like this that we are somehow not saved, but I cannot stress enough how much fuller our lives will be if we give ourselves time to ponder what God is saying to us through His word.

Grace, Peace, and Mercy,
Deb

Scripture:
With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.  -Psalm 119:13-14, NASB 

Observation:
-God's word is meant to be shared.
-Rejoice in the word-the most valuable thing you will find.

Application:
This is a hard one for the shy ones like me.  The treasure we have found in God's word is meant for more than just to be hidden away in our hearts.  From this great storehouse we are to share what we have been given.

I can see many benefits to this not only for those I share with but for myself as well.  I have often said in the past that I write my thoughts down not just to share with others what I am getting out of my daily Bible reading but that in the writing God's words go deep within me own life.  As I meditate on them and ponder what to say I begin to move from being just a hearer of the Word to a doer of God's word as well.  Something happens to me in the sharing process. 

When we were home schooling our boys part of the day was always spent letting them "retell" what they were reading.  It is an important part of the learning  process to be able to explain what you are learning to someone else.  For one thing, it goes into longer term memory.  It is a benefit to both the one who shares and the one who hears.

As I reread these verses a new phrase is jumping out to me this morning,  "I have told of ALL THE ORDINANCES of Your mouth."  We cannot pick and choose when it comes to Scripture.  It is ALL inspired.  It is ALL beneficial.  2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." (emphasis mine, NASB)  And so let us rejoice that we have been given this tremendous gift, and that it has been made available to everyone.  God's word is indeed a  treasure.


Grace, Peace, and Mercy,
Deb