Rejoice, Meditate, Delight, and Not Forget

Scripture:
I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts
and think about your ways.
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Psalm 119:14-16

Observation: With wonderful enthusiasm, the psalmist declares his love for the word of the Lord, and for all the teachings found in the Law. He declares he will rejoice for the very way of life they teach. His daily activity will be to meditate and deeply consider how they apply to his life. He will delight in the very instructions themselves, and never forget even a word of them. These teachings are as valuable as all the treasures of the entire world.

Application: This would be such a great way to live! I spend so much time in 'meditation' to other things - past issues, current events, family matters, imaginary outcomes of all kinds - that I fail to just think about the word of God and how wonderful it really is.

There are many passages ... from psalms but also in other books of the prophets and letters of the apostles ... that openly declare that the one who meditates on the Law will have a fulfilled life. They will find joy and delight and peace. They will be blessed in very real and practical ways. They will be like a tree planted by a stream that therefore never wants to water and can easily grow in health and produce its fruit year after year.

The fact is, this is all any of us really want from life. It is all I want for sure. I just want to have a joy-filled, stress-free, fulfilled life. Somehow, we think we can't have all three of these. The Lord teaches very clearly that we can, and all we have to do is lean into and embrace his teachings, laws, precepts, decrees, and ways. These are all found in his very word.

Prayer: Lord, my daily devotions have been a blessing in my life. They have given me your word in new ways, but also in a consistent way. I do not memorize your word, but I know of it, and I have regular time to think upon it. I desire to make that a deeper discipline, with more time spent pondering and meditating on your word as the thing that stirs around in my brain during downtime, when walking about or going to bed. May your Holy Spirit more and more lead my mind to consider your word, and not my own thoughts. Amen.