Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV)
Our pastor recently began a series of sermons on meditation. Not the Eastern religions’ idea of emptying your mind through meditation, but the Biblical idea of filling your mind with God’s word. If you’ve ever worried, you can meditate. All those fearful and anxious thoughts are a way of concentrating your mind. What if you concentrated your mind, instead, on God’s Word and its hope, peace, and joy? Sometimes when we meditate on God’s Word we have huge, a-ha moments or breakthroughs, but generally the experience is less pronounced. In my experience, when I’m concentrating on a passage of scripture, the still, gentle fleeting thought that brings a sense of peace is where God is speaking.
Compare meditation to God speaking to Moses through the burning bush.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
Imagine yourself shepherding a flock of sheep in a dry, mountainous region. You’re watching out for predators and helping animals find water and food. Most days are essentially the same as any other day. Yet, today you see a fire ahead. You’ve seen fires in the wilderness before, but this one is different because it isn’t consuming the bush. What to do? Catch a glimpse and then turn aside? Or focus on the invitation. Your physical eyes see the strange sight. At that moment you could have just shrugged your shoulders, kept walking, and ignored the incident. But Moses didn’t. He decided to go investigate. From there God was able to speak to him.
When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”And Moses said, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:1-6 NIV)
Moses’s observation of the bush led to a decision to investigate. From there God spoke to him and he respectfully honored God by hiding his face. After that God spoke all he would need to know in order to go to the Pharaoh and ask for his people to be freed from slavery. You probably know the story as Moses confronted Pharaoh, God caused the subsequent plagues, and a whole nation of people eventually left slavery to go to the Promised Land. If Moses hadn’t listened to God, would all this have happened? I think that God would have sovereignly worked it out that, yes, his people would be freed. But there are easier ways and harder ways to do things. Moses chose to pay attention – to investigate, to think upon, to ponder, to meditate – on the invitation to hear God.
Today, whether God comes to us in a “still small voice” or the dramatic acts of “burning bushes” in our lives, may we decide to go investigate what God may be saying. May our hearts and spirits be open to God’s Voice. And may we meditate on the goodness, mercy, grace, and all-sufficiency of our God.
Lord God,
We will exalt you and praise your name for ever and ever, God our King. You are our Great Lord and most worthy of praise. Your majesty is glorious in splendor and you have done wonderful, powerful, awesome works. Help us to be aware of the ways in which you are trying to get our attention. Help us choose to focus on your Voice within and around us, whether small and still or huge and noisy. Fill us with your Word and Spirit. May we be planted firmly in your Living Waters and drink from the depth and beauty of your greatness. Help us to proclaim your great deeds, celebrate your abundant goodness, and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. (Psalm 143:5 NIV)
I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness. (Psalm 145:1-7 NIV)