Tag: meditating

Deserving of Our Praise

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 16-18

*Poetry: Psalm 145

New Testament: 1 & 2 Thessalonians Intro – see below

Yesterday we looked at David dancing and worshiping God as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem and placed in the Tabernacle. Today we are looking at a song of praise, written by the very same man, King David. 

This Psalm speaks of different aspects of who God is, and David tells us that he meditates on those attributes and tells everyone about them. I think that in this he also invites us to do the same. Last week in his class at Family Camp about the Bible, Steve Mattison spoke to us one day about meditating on the word of God, and on God’s goodness and on all His attributes, and how scripture calls for us to do this day and night. It simply means to keep reminding yourself of these truths and thinking about them all the time. That is what David speaks of himself doing in this Psalm. He says, “I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.” (Psalm 145:5 NLT)

Then the rest of the Psalm just speaks of how awesome God is. He speaks of how the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in love, how He always keeps His promises, and how He helps the fallen and the hungry and thirsty. David speaks of how God’s Kingdom with last forever and how God’s eyes are close to those who call on Him. There are many more that David speaks of here and all these attributes are amazing and worthy of all of our praise. 

So the question is, what can you praise God for today? I’m sure there are things that He has done for you that are deserving of your praise. But you may right now be in a difficult place, where you may be struggling and feel far from God. If you are, then something that would be a good practice for you at this time is to meditate on what God has done for you in the past, and praise Him for those things and praise Him for what He has promised to do in the future. It may seem difficult to do in the middle of the storm you may be going through, but remember Paul and Silas who were beaten and thrown into prison, or David when he was being hunted down by Saul, who wanted to outright kill him. They and others in the Bible and throughout church history, when they found themselves in a dark place chose to focus on God’s goodness, rather than their storm and to praise Him, because no matter what He is worthy of our praise.

So let me leave you with David’s words that he ends this Psalm with, “I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalm 145:23 NLT)

-Jonny Smith

Reflection Questions

  1. Is God deserving of your praise? Why or why not (answer in more than a couple words)?
  2. What are some of the best ways for you to show your praise to God? How often do you do them?
  3. Do you meditate on God’s words and on His goodness/wonderful works? Would there be benefit in doing this more? If so, what benefits?
  4. Is God still deserving of your praise when you are in a difficult place and time? Why or why not (answer in more than a couple words)?

1 & 2 Thessalonians Introduction

Scholars believe Paul wrote the first letter to the Church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey, while in Corinth – just a few months after he left Thessalonica, between 49 and 51 AD.  

The main theme of 1 Thessalonians is Jesus’ Second Coming.  Since Jesus is going to return, Christians are called to live lives worthy of God – blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father.  When Jesus returns, the dead in Christ will rise first, then the living will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.  Paul tells the Thessalonians to encourage each other with these words.

While unbelievers will suffer God’s wrath, “…God has not appointed us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to correct the misunderstanding that the “Day of the Lord” had already come.   More details are given of Jesus’s return – when “he will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:8.  Paul gives details of the rebellion that will take place before the return of Christ, and the rise of the “man of lawlessness” (the antiChrist).  Paul warns in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.  They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”

May we take to heart Paul’s encouragement and his warning in these two books, and fervently seek the truth.  I’ll close with 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.”

-Steve Mattison

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Sit, Stand, Step

Psalm 1

Dr. Albert Mehrabian, a leading researcher in the field of body language, estimates that over half of our social communication is done through nonverbal cues.  Where we place our hands and feet, how or where we choose to stand or sit, the angle at which we hold our head, or even in the position of our eyebrows communicate our desires, our emotions, and our confidence (or lack thereof). Additionally, about one-third of how we send our message is with the tone and inflection in our voice, not the words themselves.  In fact, less than 10% of our social cueing has to do with our spoken word choices. The conclusion of the study is similar to the first verse of Psalm 1: where we choose to sit, where we choose to stand, and where we choose to step communicates our posture to our Heavenly Father and the world around us vastly more than words alone.

“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

There is a good chance that today holds a contrast to where your feet landed yesterday.  Most likely, this Monday represents a return to work, school, or some other social role you will have to step into, stand up in, or sit through. As you enter the threshold, who or what are you walking towards or away from? Where and what are you standing beside or standing in the way of? How and who do you find yourself sitting beside, dwelling with, and meditating upon? Take note not only of the words you say aloud, but the thoughts and signals you send with your body because God doesn’t want a tithe of lip service; He desires the whole of your soul as a living sacrifice.

There is a blessing for living close to the commandments of our Creator.  Those who put their roots down with God are the direct recipients of the Living Water He provides. When we walk in His ways, when we stand on His promises, when we sit and meditate on His statutes, it completely changes our body language. We don’t wither, but we become confident in the hope we have. We are not empty vessels filled with cliche Christianism, but we bear the fruit of the Spirit for others to see.  We can simply sit and delight in the joy of the Lord because we serve a God of promises and follow-through.  Our posture, our actions, and our words stem from the refreshing source from which we draw life more abundantly. Wherever we step, stand, or sit, let the Living Water flow and the Kingdom of God flourish.

– Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Compare and contrast the person in Psalm 1:1-3 to the person in verses 4-5? How would you describe each and what makes them different?
  2. Who or what are you walking, standing, sitting amongst? What do you find delight in? What are you meditating on? Are there any changes that ought to be made in order to be where you want to be at the end – of 2023, or of this life?
  3. What do we learn about the LORD God in Psalm 1? Mark it in your margins, journal it, pray to the God of Psalm 1.

AND -in preparation for tomorrow, when we will begin a chapter by chapter New Testament reading – here’s a little…

Introduction to the Book of Matthew

Before we introduce the book of Matthew, let’s quickly contrast it with the book of Genesis and the whole Old Testament.

The book of Genesis begins the Old Testament (and the Bible).  The theme of the Old Testament can be summed up in Genesis 5:1, which says, “This is the book of the generations of Adam…”.  The rest of Genesis 5 has another recurring theme, “… and then he died”.   The Old Testament was the story of Adam, his sin (and the consequences of that sin), and his descendants.  It illustrates the truth that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).  The Old Testament contains many of God’s promises – waiting for fulfillment.

The book of Matthew begins the New Testament.  Matthew starts with, “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.”  This begins the story of Jesus, and reveals “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b)  The New Testament describes the fulfillment of God’s promises made in the Old Testament.

Matthew was one of Jesus’ 12 apostles, whom Jesus called from being a tax collector (read hated outcast) to being in the inner circle of the Savior of the world.  Many years after Jesus’ ascension, Matthew wrote the book of Matthew to convince a Jewish audience that Jesus was (and is) the Messiah – God’s chosen and anointed deliverer for His people – who fulfilled so many of the prophecies in the Old Testament.

Even though the Bible doesn’t contain anything that Matthew himself said, the book of Matthew which he wrote reveals Jesus as the Messiah promised and sent by God.  May the book of Matthew speak to you and reveal God’s great gift, Jesus the Messiah, to you in a whole new way as we seek to grow in Christ together this year.

-Steve Mattison

Download and print the 2023 Reading Plan below. You can choose to follow along in 1,2 or 3 readings a day. If you read all three you will read through the whole Bible in 2023.

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The Words of the God You Love

Psalm 119

Wednesday, July 13, 2022 

            Back when I was a child, at Church camp when you stood in line for a meal they made you say a Bible verse.  Us young boys learned that John 11:35 was the “go to verse” for quick memorization: “Jesus wept.”   A two word verse, easy to memorize- boom “Jesus wept!” the legal requirements are met, now can I eat? 

            Bonus round—what is the shortest book in the Bible?  2 John or 3 John depending on how you measure it.  2 John has the fewest verses, 3 John has the fewest words.  For fun sake, Obadiah is the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible (The Old Testament).  We can argue about anything, can’t we?

            But there is no argument about the longest chapter in the Bible- Psalms 119 is the big winner.  Psalm 119 has 176 verses.  Compare that to the shortest chapter in the Bible – Psalm 117 which has only 2 verses. Not only is Psalm 119 unique because of its length, but its structure is quite unique as well.  Psalm 119 is written as an acrostic poem.  It is made up of 22 sections which are 8 verses each and each section begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, beginning with the first Hebrew letter “aleph” and ending with the final Hebrew letter, “taw”.  This was likely a device that helped the student to memorize the Psalm, which good little Jewish boys and girls did.

            Obviously with 176 verses we can’t look at the whole Psalm in one brief devotion and we won’t even try.  I’ll just point out something basic for you to consider and then focus on one section in some detail.

            Something basic for us to consider is that this Psalm is devoted to an appreciation of God’s Word.  Different Hebrew words are used in the Psalm including “Torah”, which can mean: “teaching, direction, guidance and law”; “Debar” which means “word” and “Misva” which means commandment or ordinance.  The entire Psalm is devoted to having a love for God’s word or commands or teaching.   This clear expression of love for God’s word is important.  In many places in the Bible, beginning in the Old Testament in places like Deuteronomy 6:5 , we are told to love the LORD/YHWH/God with all of our hearts.  Here in Psalm 119 we are told to also love God’s Word  or teaching.  Vs. 97 says “O how I love your ‘Torah’ (law/teaching) I meditate (think about/ponder deeply) on it all day long.”

            I don’t know about you but there are only a few things that I’ve ever thought about literally “all day long”. (One of them was my wife back when we first began dating, and another may or may not be Krispy Kreme hot donuts-they are beautiful and delicious and hot).  You usually only think about something constantly if it’s someone/thing that you really, really love a lot, or something that you are really, really worried about.  In the case of Psalm 119 it’s clear that the writer is thinking about God’s Word all day long because he/she loves that Word.

            Is there a difference between loving God and loving God’s Word?  In one way, yes.  There are people who diligently study the Bible simply as literature or history.  They tear it apart and analyze it like someone might dissect an animal or human cadaver or look at tiny things in a microscope.  But in this case, the person writing the Psalm loves God’s Word and thinks constantly about God’s Word because it’s God’s Word and this person loves God wholeheartedly so he also loves God’s teaching, instructions, commandments.  Jesus would later tell his disciples “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15).

            Let’s go back to that thing that I said I have literally thought about all day long (not the Krispy Kreme donut, but my wife, Karen, who is also beautiful, delicious, hot and begins with a K- sorry, but I needed to include that in order to embarrass any of my adult children who might be reading this devotion today, you’re welcome).   Because I love my wife I usually try to pay attention to the words she speaks to me. (I’ll admit, I’m not always perfect on this, but in my defense, sometimes she’s just talking to herself and I have to clarify who the intended listener is, me or herself, sometimes I miss the things that I’m supposed to hear).  Part of love is paying attention to the words spoken by the one we love.  So, for the Psalmist, he loved God so he also loved God’s word.  So for Jesus, if we love him we also need to keep his commandments/teaching/words.  So the overall theme of Psalm 119 is “I love God and so I also love God’s word.”

            The section of Psalm 119 I want you to think about is the second section- verses 9-16 which begins with the Hebrew letter “Beth” ב.  It begins with a question and answer:  “How can a young person stay on the path of purity?”  That’s a great question and reveals the important desire that forms the content of this person’s heart.  They love God so much that they want to know how to keep on the right path, the path of purity.  They want to know how to live a life that is pleasing in the sight of God.  The answer is by living according to God’s word.  If a person wants to walk a path that is pleasing to God then he or she needs to follow the word of God.  God has revealed to us, by His word, how to live a life that is pleasing to him.  We need to follow that path. 

            In order to stay on that path of purity we must be intentional.  We need to seek God with all of our heart.  Why do I want to pay attention to and follow God’s word?  Because I’m seeking God with my whole heart.  How do we avoid falling into sin? By putting God’s word deep into our hearts.  He speaks about the Law with strong emotional words: joy (rejoice), meditate and delight.  For him staying on a path that is pleasing to God brings him such joy that he is thinking deeply about God’s word all of the time and finds his delight in doing what God’s word says.

            You can love someone’s words without loving the person, but you really can not love a person if you don’t also care deeply about the words they use to convey what is important and meaningful to them.  The next time you look at your Bible, consider this: out of all the trillions of words that have ever been spoken or written in the history of the world, these words contained in this Bible are the words that were spoken by God to human beings in order that we might know, love and serve God.  So why would we not love the words that come from the God that we love, and why would we not obey the words that come from the God that we love?

            Do you want to keep your way each day pure (pleasing in God’s sight).  Then pay attention to those words each day, think deeply about them, immerse yourself in them, delight in them, find joy in reading and obeying them because you love those words because they are the words of the God you love.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

  1.  Which words from today’s reading (Psalm 119) will you choose to think deeply about?
  2. Which words from today’s reading will you take special delight in thinking about?
  3. Which words from today’s reading will bring you the most joy?
  4. How will these words from God help you when you find yourself tempted to go in a direction that is not in keeping with loving God?
2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload