John 15 :
7 « If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you.»
Psalms 119 :
105 « Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path»
Psaumes
119 : 130 « The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth
understanding unto the simple.»
These days,
with the excessive use of social networks, we devote little time to reading and
even less to meditation. This affects everyone, and we Christians are no
exception. Many of us are content with Christian influencers' online sermons or
motivational videos. We tend to forget that they get their inspiration from one
source, the Bible and that we have access to it. So today we will explore the importance of
meditating on God's Word.
What is meditation on the Word of God ?
Meditation is
not just reading the Bible. Meditation here is about reading the Word,
identifying and understanding the message it conveys, and seeking to make it
effective by applying it to our lives. An effective word produces fruits. When
you meditate on it, it becomes a seed planted in you whose fruit will feed
many. James 1:22 " But be ye
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
The word well
applied transforms us and makes us better. It helps us to be pleasing to God
and useful and pleasing to our neighbors. It brings many benefits to the lives
of those who meditate on it faithfully.
The word for teaching and instruction
2 Timothy 3 : 16-17 « All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. »
Living a Christian life that pleases God cannot be the fruit
of "intuition. It's a whole process based on the Word of God. God's Word
has given us a whole set of rules to help us take care of ourselves spiritually
(John 3:5-8; Romans 8:5-9; Galatians 5:16-17), physically (1
Timothy 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 6:13; Ecclesiastes 11:10),
and financially (Luke 14:28-30; Luke 6:1-13; Ecclesiastes 7:12).
They also show us how to treat others (1 Timothy 6:18; 1 Timothy 5:8;
Mark 12:31).
So, if we want our lives to bear witness to our Christian
identity, we must bear the fruit that comes from faithfully practicing God's
Word; and that begins with meditation. For
we cannot effectively apply what we do not understand.
The Word as the Foundation of Faith
Stable faith in God requires a
clear knowledge of Him. No one can claim to know someone just by hearing about
them. We know a person by his words and deeds. In the same way, we come to know
God through His works (e.g., creation, His miracles, His love, etc.) and His
Word, which we find in the Bible.
John 17:8 " For I have given unto them the
words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely
that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.”
John 20:31 " But these
are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;
and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
God does not only communicate
through dreams or His servants, but He does so primarily through His Word. So
we communicate with God when we read the Bible. With the help of the Holy
Spirit, we can understand during meditation that He is constantly speaking to
us through the Bible and that everything we need is already written there.
God's Word as Light
The Bible tells us that in the last days, there will be
false prophets, false teachers, and false Christs (Matthew 24:24 " For
there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs
and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very
elect."); and it has given us the means to recognize them. Indeed,
according to Matthew 7:15-16, we shall know them by their fruits,
for he who is not animated by the Spirit cannot bear the fruits of the Spirit. 1
John 4:1-2 " Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: “
But how can we recognize these fruits if we don't have
sufficient knowledge of God's Word and if we don't practice it ourselves? How can we discern the good from the bad if
we don't know their characteristics? How can we effectively use the Word as a
filter to rid ourselves of false doctrine and preserve the gospel of Christ if
we don't meditate on it? 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, " Prove all things;
hold fast that which is good. So, we
must understand that while we have the Holy Spirit as our guide, who can reveal
the true nature of a false pastor or prophet and help us discern things that
are not of God, we must also be vigilant. The Bible recommends that we put on
all the whole armour of God so that we may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). And one of the most powerful part of this armour
is the Holy Spirit-inspired Word of God that we find in the Bible (I repeat
myself).
We need to meditate on God's Word so that we are not
confused like Eve when the devil asked her, "Has God said this? (Genesis
3:1), but to be full of confidence like Jesus when He was tempted in
the wilderness. Matthew 4 :1-11.
Matthew 4 : 4 “But he answered and said, It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth
out of the mouth of God”.
