Joshua 1:8 - Meditate Continually.
Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of the Law
continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be
sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then
will you succeed.
INTRODUCTION
In the days of the wilderness wandering the
Lord had made abundant provision for His children
to keep in remembrance the words of His law.
After the settlement in Canaan the divine precepts
were to be repeated daily in every home; they
were to be written plainly upon the doorposts and
gates, and spread upon memorial tablets. They were
to be set to music and chanted by young and
old. {PK 464-465} [Remnant SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
One of the highest priorities in order to
stay spiritually fresh is to cultivate the art of
Scripture meditation.
For some reason, Bible meditation has
become a lost art in our day. A survey conducted
among Christians in the United States showed that
only one in ten thousand knew how to meditate on
the Scriptures.
What, then, is the art of Scripture
meditation? Is it reading parts of the Bible as slowly
as possible so that every word sinks in? No. Is
it studying a passage with the aid of a
commentary so that one understands exactly what the
Scripture is saying? No. Is it memorizing certain
texts and recalling them to mind whenever one has
a spare moment? No. You can do all of these
things and still not know how to meditate.
Andrew Murray describes it as "holding
the word of God in your heart and mind until it
has affected every area of your life." My own
definition is this: meditation is the process by which
we place the Word of God into the digestive
system of the soul, where it is transformed into
faith and spiritual energy.
Psalm 1:2-3 paints a picture of amazing
freshness and vitality: "His delight is in the Lord's
instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is
like a tree planted beside streams of water that
bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not
wither." What is the secret of this amazing
freshness? It is simple - meditation. To draw from
Scripture the inspiration and power we need to stay
spiritually fresh, we must do more than read it, study
it, or even memorize it - we must meditate on
it.
O Father, I want so much to learn the art
of meditation. Quicken my desire to hide Your
Word in my heart so that it becomes the hidden
springs of action and determines my character and my
conduct. In Jesus' name. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus
Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psalm
119:97, 99]
COMMENTARY
Benefits of Meditation
The June 2010 issue of Mind, Mood and
Memory, a newsletter published by Massachusetts
General Hospital, carries a lead article entitled
"The Neuroscience of Meditation." Here the author
reviews findings from several studies that appear to
agree that meditation, no matter the type, has
huge health benefits. Some of the most notable
are (1) protecting working memory from the
negative effects of stress, (2) lowering the levels
of the stress hormone cortisol and reducing
tension, (3) reversing memory loss, (4) increasing
tolerance to pain, (5) increasing ability to pay
attention and ignore distractions, (6) decreasing the
density of gray matter in the amygdala (a brain
parameter associated with reduced stress), (7) and
thickening of the prefrontal cortex and right anterior
insula (regions that normally thin with age and
that are known to be involved with processing
sensory input as well as memories, thus helping us
focus attention and make decisions).
Hundreds of studies have sought
scientifically to determine the benefits of meditation. But
vigorous debate surrounds their validity. Though many
of the studies are peer reviewed (meaning that
others in the field have checked to see that they
are done right), a strong vein of skepticism
persists in scientific circles. How do we know that
the meditation training is any better or any
different from any other kind of training, such as
learning how to control your heart rate and blood
pressure?
The best test is obviously to see what
works for you. God asks us to prove Him. In this
highly stressed modern age, where can we turn for
peace? Where do we go to find meaning in life?
Where did I come from? Where am I going?
God's Word is true and honest. It
declares, "Great peace have those who love your law,
and nothing can make them stumble" (Ps. 119:165,
NIV). When you put this together with the text
above, it is clear that biblical meditation should
be carefully and honestly tried. I recommend it
to you as one that will produce positive
results.
Lord, You made me, so You know what
works. Give me the courage to put You to the test.
[God of Wonders by David Steen]
"Only then." Sure, there are plenty of
ways to prosper in this or that area of life, but
God's instruction to Joshua is more comprehensive
than that. Prosperity as He defines it goes
deeper and lasts longer, applying to everything His
people do. So what is the condition for this great
guarantee of certain prosperity? How was Joshua - and
how are we - supposed to receive successes from
the God of victory? Step one: Be strong and
courageous. Step two: Meditate on His Word day and night
for the purpose of implementing it in life.
That's it. An attitude and an action. That's how,
real success comes.
We are designed to live in a Kingdom of
victories. We know life isn't that simple; we've all
experienced failure, and we've all known of instances
when the right approach didn't yield the right
results. God is not a formula, after all, and we
can't treat Him like one. But we can position
ourselves to receive whatever He has promised us. We
may not prosper every way we expect to if we are
faithful to His Word, but we certainly won't prosper
meaningfully without it. We have to be people whose lives
are consumed with hearing and following His
voice.
That's a key approach into any promised
land, a foundational truth for experiencing the
best of God's Kingdom. We can't afford to waste
time trying to love God without also loving His
Word. The relationship doesn't work that way. If
we love Him, His words will matter to us. If
they don't, were deceiving ourselves.
There's a difference between meditating
on God's words a few minutes each day and being
so consumed with them that we apply them to
every area of life. One helps to keep us aware of
Him. The other keeps us anchored in Him and
moving in His will. The all-of-life approach to His
voice rivets our attention on what He is doing and
captivates us with His purposes. And it comes with a
life-changing promise. [The One Year Heaven On Earth
Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
For more than 100 years, researchers have
studied the effects of summer break on students.
While summer means lots of fun, no homework, and
few responsibilities, it also means learning
loss. You actually lose ground academically.
Lower-income students are hit the hardest, losing an
average of two months of reading achievement during
the summer. Many of these students have few
books at home and aren't encouraged to read
outside of school. As a result, by fifth grade some
children are nearly three grade levels behind their
peers in reading.
Research also shows all students
typically score lower on standardized tests at the end
of the summer than on the same test taken at
the end of the school year. Math abilities
decline as well. What's the solution? No more summer
break?
Don't worry. Summer break isn't in
jeopardy. The solution is actually quite simple: You
must engage your brain. Just putting away video
games, turning off the I'V, and reading a book can
make a huge difference. Play a strategy game with
your family or a friend. Put together a puzzle.
Your mind is like a muscle. You have to use it to
strengthen it.
Learning loss doesn't only hinder your
academic abilities. It can affect your walk with
Christ. If you "take a break" from God, your
relationship will suffer. On the other hand, by engaging
with God through reading the Bible and going to
church, you'll know what he expects and grow closer
to him. In Joshua 1:8 the Israelite leader
says, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your
lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you
may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful."
Joshua wanted God's people to talk about God's
Word, think about God's Word, and follow God's
Word. If they did that, the results would take
care of themselves - the people would be
prosperous and successful.
The same thing is true for you today.
Make a plan to get into the Bible on a regular
basis. Maybe you'll try to read the Bible in a year
(there are lots of plans online). Perhaps you can
begin a Bible study with your friends. When you
keep learning about God, you'll never be at a
loss. [Case For Christ For Kids by Les Strobel]
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
God made some extravagant promises to
Joshua. He knew that Joshua would face fierce
enemies and overwhelming obstacles and therefore
would need to remember these assurances in tough
times. We need to be able to hang on to God's
promises as well. Praying Scripture back to God is a
valuable tool to assist us in our spiritual growth -
"reminding" him of his promises, as it's sometimes
called. Repeating the assurances of God's Word in
prayer elevates and guides our requests. By praying
God's words back to him, we have assurance that we
are praying effectively. [NIV Once A Day Bible
re Jos. 1:1-9]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2007/20071018-1724.html
EXCELLENT SERMON ON THIS TOPIC (sermon
starts at 52:20 into the program)
https://livestream.com/accounts/14425139/events/8801211/videos/195725302
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF
JESUS
1st of 28: Divine Dining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY
