Should I meditate?

We often think of Eastern prayer practices of repeating a word or humming when we hear the word "meditate." This is not entirely a wrong picture. Strong's Concordance said the word hagah (meditate) means "to moan, growl, utter, speak, muse." When God instructs Joshua to "keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night" it means as Joshua went about his day, he was to continually verbalize the Law under his breath, pondering it's importance.

I am encouraged by this picture of it, because it means as I go about my day, my meditation on Scripture is a continuance utterance of the truth of God's Word I have hidden in my heart (Psa 119:11). I do not have to remain still to be muttering, uttering, speaking Scripture. Scripture can come out of my mouth and remind me of what is honoring to God. 

Joshua was told if he meditated (uttered, spoke, muttered, mused) on the Law he would prosper. It was not a command to physically bind the laws to his head, but to have the laws always before him in his mind. The binding of phylacteries upon the foreheads and arms of Jewish men during prayer was in fulfillment to the Torah's command in Deuteronomy 6:9, "Tie [the law] as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads" (NIV). This practice would become tradition more than a spiritual discipline over the years and 1300 years later, Jesus condemned the religious leaders for having the physical reminders of the law. They had neglected justice for the weak and vulnerable (Matt 25:3). They missed out on the blessing because of tradition without heart adjustment.

God would bless the Israelites only as they were obedient to the Law. For Joshua, this did not mean outward peace. Success for Joshua was the enemies were scattered before him and the army was fearless. It was hard work, but Joshua was favored in the battle, as long as he remembered the Law and obeyed it.

There is one time when Joshua did not consult God before accepting a treaty agreement with the Gibeonites, and the foreigners were able to stay (Joshua 9). This caused later conflict in the Promised Land. Much like the Garden of Eden, the Promised Land was compromised by one decision to ignore God's Law. These stories of failures to obey remind us again our deep need for a Savior and need for the Word of God to direct us. I know I am "preaching to the choir," but when we are meditating on Scripture, the Holy Spirit will remind us of our need for the Presence to guide, direct, and help us to obey to two most important commands we are to bind on our hearts and minds. This is success in life, to love God and love others. 

Photo by shraga kopstein on Unsplash