“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers,” (Psalm 1:1-3).
These few verses break down our entire lives into two paths. The first path leads to judgment and destruction, but the second leads to prosperity and security in the Lord. What is the main difference between the righteous and the wicked? The righteous person delights in God’s law. This delight is not abstract, but active, leading to meditation on God’s word. When we speak of meditation, we are not referring to clearing your mind to reach some sort of transcendence, but rather focused and deep reflection on God’s truth. It is not merely the ability to focus during a scripture reading, sermon, or class, but further contemplation on God’s word.
How often do we continue to discuss with our brethren the lessons learned from a sermon after the service is over? How often do we read or listen to scripture and spend time thinking about God’s intent behind it? How often are we willing to walk or sit in silence delighting in God’s law? Perhaps more often we listen to a sermon, acknowledge whether or not the preacher did a “good job” speaking and then move on to the next part of our day…lunch. Maybe we make time to read God’s word, but once we have hit our daily quota we can finally spend the rest of our day on our hobbies. Maybe we feel the need to fill every quiet moment with some sort of media or entertainment.
The Psalmist writes the famous phrase, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you,” (Psalm 119:11). Meditation can be traced through the Bible in different forms. In fact, most people throughout biblical times would not have owned copies of the law, leaving meditation as a primary way to be immersed in the word of God. No wonder it is spoken of so often throughout the Bible!
We live in a world that tries to fill every second with videos, hobbies, games, sports, podcasts, music, and other exciting avenues we use to entertain ourselves. I, personally, think about my sports teams a lot because I enjoy sports. I delight in my sports teams. I think about them, I watch their games, and I listen to podcasts where people discuss their news. Why? I want to understand more about my teams! Maybe if we never feel the need to meditate it is because we are struggling to find delight in God’s word. Psalm 119 is a beautiful display of someone with a love for the word of God, leading to meditation (Psalm 119:11, 15, 97, 148).
What if we are not there yet? What if we feel guilty because we sometimes lack the motivation to read and meditate? By all means, do not avoid it! Before I became the football and basketball nerd I am today, I had to learn. I had to learn about the sport and my teams. This developed a desire for me to learn more. While this might be a silly example, this is how growth works. Learning to love deeper requires being intentional and proactive in our relationship with God. Begin by intentionally setting time aside for meditation. Put away the phone before bed to recite lessons you have recently studied. Take time while on a walk, in the car, in the shower, or in any moment of quietness to ponder God’s messages to us in the Bible.
Biblical meditation is shown to lead to success (Joshua 1:8), steadfastness and peace (Psalm 1), and strength against sin (Psalm 119:11). Let’s grow in our love and relationship with God through a deeper delight and understanding of His word through meditation. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer,” (Psalm 19:14).
—Joshua Brown