Mind-Full Or Mind-Less

“You know,” said the old farmer, “the mind is much like a garden. You can either plant something good in it and watch it grow or watch it fill up with weeds.”

If we are careful, we can have a mind filled with good thoughts and great ideas. We can plant “seeds” that come from well-cultivated “ancestors” and carefully bred crops or “seeds” of questionable origin and random sources. What goes into our mind can be carefully controlled and chosen or simply allowed to enter because there is no plan to nourish our hearts and souls. The source of the content is our choice and ours alone. The contents of our minds are not force-fed. Whatever is there, is there by our choice.

The wisdom of our Psalmist is well worth heeding: “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promises.” No random “seed-thoughts” were allowed to contaminate the garden of his mind. His mind had been filled “in advance” with God’s promises. Now, when he was awake throughout the night he meditated on the gifts God had “waiting” for him.

Years ago, following cancer surgery, I was told that I would have to get up every three hours for the rest of my life. I cannot explain the intensity of my anger at God for these “gifts.” First the cancer - now, sleepless nights. “OK God. What’s going on here? Life really is unfair, God!”

Soon, however, I realized that while I was waiting to fall back to sleep I could pray or quote Bible verses or even meditate. My cancer, a “gift” from God? Indeed! We, God and I, now have much more time to share ideas.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for planting the “seeds” of Your Word in my mind that now provide food for my soul. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.

Cows, Cuds And Meditation

Have you ever watched a cow, lying beneath a tree, quietly looking through its leaves at the puffy clouds that are passing across the soft blue sky? They seem to be concentrating on something far beyond themselves, yet important to them. Their stillness reflects a sense of peace and confidence that “all is well in my world and there’s nothing for me to worry about.” All the while they are chewing on “cuds” - round balls of grass that they bring up from their stomachs and chew some 30,000 times each day to get all of the nourishment out of them.

Could that not be a picture of meditation for the Christian to adopt? A time when we quietly “chew” on a piece of Scripture that God brings to our minds from His Word that we have hidden in our hearts.

Imagine how our lives would be different if we sat quietly and brought a verse of Scripture from His Word into our minds and then looked to Him to give us all the nourishment that it contains. Imagine the changes that would take place in our lives if we would invest even a small amount of time “chewing” on a verse or two from His Word each day asking Him to “nourish our lives” with its meaning. Imagine the peace and comfort that could be ours if we simply asked His Spirit to use His Word to calm our fears, lift our depression, eliminate our doubts, change our attitudes and convict us of our sins.

If we can imagine it we can do it! God troubles our hearts and minds to get our attention. Then we must submit to His Spirit to work in us as we meditate on Him.

Prayer: Lord, speak to our hearts and change our lives as we willingly ask Your Spirit to guide and guard us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 104:34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.

Sing To The Lord!

When Herbert Hoover was president he asked Rudy Vallee to sing at the White House. He was very impressed by the famous “megaphone crooner” and entertainer and at the end of his performance said, “You are great, Mr. Vallee. If you can sing a song that would make people feel good, forget their problems and relieve their depression, I will give you a medal.” However, Vallee did not have a song that he could sing that would bring about those results.

But there is One who can do that. David said, “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praises to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to Him as I rejoice in the Lord.”

The Hebrew word for meditate includes two words from the English language: one is “think” and the other suggests “speech” or “audible thinking.” If we put them together they can bring about amazing results!

Imagine how our lives would be different if when we thought about God’s Word we would begin to talk to Him. For example, if 1 John 1:9 came to mind during a time of meditation, we might say something like, “Oh, thank You Lord for Your forgiveness. How grateful I am that if I come to You, confess my sin, ask You for Your forgiveness and repent, You will forgive me. Thank You for the assurance of Your grace and mercy. How much I need it. And please, Lord, fill my life with Your Spirit so that when I am tempted to sin, I can ask You to give me the strength to overcome the temptation!”

Prayer: Father, fill my mind with Your Word. Let it speak to my heart and then may my heart speak to You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 104:33-34 I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.

A Meditation That Matters

Our minds want to wander. What they settle on in their journey from one destination to another is intriguing and telling. The Bible says that "Old men dream dreams and young men see visions." But it does not tell what the dreams or visions are. It depends on the individual.

One day a psalmist unveiled both his dream and his vision: "Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere, I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

We often hear phrases about "spending quality time with loved ones" or "living a quality life." But unless we define quality in scriptural terms, "quality" may not be what "quality" is.

Our psalmist wants us to know that even standing at the edge of the temple is better than being inside the tent of a wicked person. Why is this so? It is because of God Himself! Simply being in His presence is a reward.

For the psalmist it is not the beauty of the place but the beauty of a Person. "God is a sun and a shield," he declares, referring to the absolute glory of God as a person and protector of those who serve Him. With His love upon us and His glory around us, we can be assured that He will not withhold any good things from us if we walk with Him and live lives that are blameless – or lives of integrity.

But along our way in this walk with Him, He will give us "grace and glory." Glory refers to His "grace" that He gives to those who are His own. It is His grace that saves us with the faith He gives us because of the love He has for us!

Prayer: How blest we are, Father, that we are invited into Your Kingdom through Your love, mercy and grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 84:10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

SELAH!

The word Selah appears seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in the book of Habakkuk. Its specific meaning is not known but it implies that the reader, or the one listening to one who is reading the psalm, should pause or rest or stop and think of “this” or “that” – or whatever the writer was addressing. It is illuminating and inspiring when we actually apply it.

David was driven from his palace and people by his rebellious son, Absalom. When he saw his army and his advisors follow his son he wrote the third Psalm.

In his despair he wrote, “O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me. Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’”

Then he paused, thought for a moment and said “Selah!” Which must have meant, “Wait a moment, David, and think of this.” Think of what, we might ask. Being betrayed? Being pursued? Being driven from family and friends? Being driven from your throne?

Of course not. But, then, what is he to think of?

And he answers his own question: “You, oh Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high!”

David ran away from his son, Absalom. But in so doing he ran into the arms of the Almighty God. He found in Him his protection from persecution and his source of salvation. There is no one like the Lord! He is our comfort in times of conflict and our protector when others pursue us.

Prayer: May we realize, O Lord, Your eternal power and presence over anything that could hurt or harm us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 3:8 From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.