What do you think about when you are all alone … in the car,
over the stove, over mundane tasks … where do your heart and mind go? Or, better yet, where do you take them? ("them," to mean, your heart and mind)
for as he
thinks within himself, so he is.
Proverbs 23:7
Your reaction to surprises, your attitude toward people or
circumstances, your posture toward major decisions, your perspective on people
and situations … all of these will be decided, to a large degree, by your
thought life prior to these experiences.
There are many scriptures that call for us to direct our
thoughts toward the Lord and choose to see things from God’s perspective … here
are a few from the New Testament:
MEDITATION – the word makes me think of either a
bare-footed, emaciated, and unhappy monk who hasn’t spoke in years or maybe the
chanting, incense-burning, mind-clearing exercise of a modern spiritual seeker … however,
neither capture the heart of God’s plan for us described in Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man who
does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or
sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on
his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of
water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Rather than emptying your mind, you focus it on God's Word.
The last few days, I have spent my time mulling over,
praying about, considering all of the implications of (meditating on) Psalm
142:7 which says:
Bring my soul out of
prison, so that I may give thanks to Your name; the righteous will surround me,
for You will deal bountifully with me.
In our community, the prison most believers live in exists
in their minds. Imprisoned by
selfishness, bitterness, insecurity, materialism, and fear, they are unable to
enjoy the favor and presence of God. These
same people may deeply love the Lord and wonder how their faith in the Lord
seems to have an unpleasant ebb and flow.
My friend, I encourage you to start each day with the Lord …
part of that must include time in His word.
As you read God’s word, ask the Lord for a verse or verses that you can
focus your heart and mind on. Memorize
it or write it on an index card and carry it around in your pocket. Take time to pray through it’s meaning at the
stop light, over the dishes, getting dressed and throughout the day.
As we make this our regular practice, we will enjoy the
peace, joy and strength of the Lord that our hearts crave.
Blessings,
Pastor Paul
Posted on
Saturday, March 29, 2008
by Paul White