Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I AM GOD: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 62:1 "Truly my soul waiteth upon GOD: from HIM cometh my salvation."
Mention the word meditation and the majority of people will immediately think of Eastern religions and the New Age movement. A picture comes to mind of an individual sitting on a mat, with eyes closed, humming a quiet mantra, and assuming a yoga position. For the child of GOD, however, this word should instead direct our thoughts toward Psalm 1, which states that the blessed man delights in the Law of the LORD and meditates on the WORD of GOD day and night (Psalm 1:1-2 pictured above). In the biblical sense, the term meditation entails a "a quiet contemplation of spiritual truths."
J.B.Stoney, a believer from the early nineteenth century, stated the following: "You will find that no one learns truth easily. He who built on the rock was not secure merely because he build on the rock; but he also digged deep. What springs up quickly has no root. The more you understand the nature and scope of the WORD, the more you will see the demand it makes on you and how unreserved must be our subjection to it, while as you are subject to it, and you learn the blessedness and virtues of it."
This silent contemplation of spiritual truths in the Bible takes time. We find an important precept to observe when we reflect upon the LORD and HIS WORD: Stillness is the key -- "Be still, and know that I AM GOD." Whether in the midst of calamity (vv.2-3) or in our quiet time alone with GOD, we are to be in a state of rest. The word "still" in our text means "to slacken, be idle, be still." How still should we be ? Pastor George Parsons put it well: "Be still as a stone." We will know GOD best when we set time aside for HIM and learn to be still before HIM as we meditate on HIS WORD.
Some Christians seem to like microwave-type devotions: thirty seconds of spiritual heat and they are pretty much warm for the day. OH, REALLY ! You cannot truly know GOD if you are always rushing here and there with countless calls pulling you in various directions. It is imperative that we learn to say an emphatic "NO !" to some of the demands made upon our time and refuse to give in to "The Tyranny of the Urgent" -- especially when it has a negative affect upon our time with GOD.
The right order of priority should be: (1) time with GOD, (2) time with family, and (3) time with the church (the saints of GOD). That time with the LORD is so imperative in order to keep us balanced in our walk with HIM, with our family, and with fellow believers. One of Satan's traps is to get us so involved in activity that we have no time to be still in the presence of GOD. Sometimes the LORD must force us to be still by putting us flat on our back before we can be made to listen to what HE wants us to hear.
"Be still, and know that I AM GOD," says JEHOVAH. We must, as the hymnwriter encourages, "take time to be Holy" -- get to know the LORD as a PERSON with WHOM we delight to spend time. Stillness brings us to the point where we can concentrate. It is difficult to fix our thoughts on GOD as we barrel down the highway or stand in the midst of noisy friends; add to that the fact that, for many of us, we are the ones who like to do the talking. But GOD says, "Be still." Be quiet before the LORD: keep silence; be, or stand, still. Scripture also commands us to "wait" (Psalm 27:14 pictured above; Psalm 130:5 also pictured above). Even if life's way is twisting and turning, wait patiently on the LORD while meditating on HIS WORD.
We have considered the biblical admonition to "be still, and know that I AM GOD" in Psalm 46:10 and have joined it with the thought of meditating upon GOD and HIS WORD -- being still or silent before HIM. Previously we briefly touched on the concept of "waiting"; now, let us consider a companion verse: "Truly my soul waiteth upon GOD: from HIM cometh my salvation." This psalm of David employs an idea that speaks of "stillness; quiet trust, silence." Once more we slip into the realm of meditation -- quiet contemplation of the WORD of GOD as we trustingly wait upon HIM.
Often, we miss GOD's most beautiful interventions in our life because we are so distracted by other things that we cannot see or hear HIM working. We are not sensitive before HIM. We have not learned to be still in HIS presence. One shudders at the thought of some who "study" their Bibles with the television blaring or who utter a brief "Help me through the day, LORD," as they gobble their instant spiritual breakfast and head out the door to work. That is not meditation, and a steady diet of that type of reading and praying will ultimately lead to spiritual malnutrition (Hebrews 5:12-14 pictured above).
The Tozer Pulpit records the following statement: "I do challenge you to meditate, quietly, reverently, prayerfully for a month. Put away questions and answers and the filling in of blank lines in the portions you haven't been able to understand. Put all of the cheap trash away and take the Bible, get on your knees, and in faith say 'FATHER, here I am. Begin to teach me !" Then, patiently be still, be silent, meditate on the WORD of GOD, and keenly wait upon HIM to speak to your heart through the Holy Scriptures. JED
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
Copyright, FEATURE: A Daily Bible Study Guide.
No comments:
Post a Comment