Transformed by Meditation

 One of the most common lines we hear prayed in Bible classes is, "Lord, help us apply what we have learned today to our daily lives."  Such constant repeating of this simple prayer, whether conscious or not, suggests that it is the desire of most Christians to bring the power of God's Word into their everyday lives.  But experience still tells us, "easier said than done."  God's people have often been guilty of a shoddy memory, as the history of the Israelites attests, as well as our own personal experiences.  This is why so many of us find, in the daily world of rushing, doing, and making decisions, that the Will of God we so desire to live by, is often drowned out by the voices of the moment, including our own loud desires.

    How do we as Christians live with our "mind set on the Spirit?" (Rom. 8:6)    The first Psalm gives us insight: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked...But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." (vs. 1,2)  The last line strikes an odd cord with most Christians of today, since few would describe themselves as one who meditated on God's Word day and night.  How does a person do this anyway?

    Meditation is not some strange yoga-like activity only reserved for mountain top moments.  To meditate on the Word of God is to actively call it to our mind, pondering over it, reflecting on it, and applying its life-giving truth to our own lives.  Such an exercise can (and should) take place anywhere we happen to be.  For, while during our day we hear many voices telling us many different things, it is the voice of God we must hear and heed.

    The meditation upon God's Word -- to actively pursue God inwardly by meditating on His promises and purposes, His will and His way --- is the lifeline of the righteous man we read about in Psalms 1.  It is within this constant and ongoing occupation that works in our hearts and minds that we, as Christians, may find our direction and consolation, even amidst the daily affairs of a busy life.

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