Faith Foundations: Living for What Matters MostSample

Walking with God through His Word

Yesterday we looked at prayer and fasting as fundamental ways we can walk with God. Today, let’s consider another life-changing discipline: meditation on God’s Word.

My wife and I started dating when we were in high school. This was long before texting and social media. She would write me actual love letters, on paper. Because I was madly in love, I would devour even her shortest letters, intensely scrutinizing them and searching every word for significance. My obsession reflected the depth of my love. In the same way, as followers of Jesus, we’re in a love relationship with God. We’re designed to delight in his voice and immerse ourselves in his words. Interestingly, the Bible doesn’t talk about reading the Bible so much as it talks about meditating on it. Are you obsessed with God’s Word? If not, consider asking God to ignite in you a passion for it.

Another way of thinking about God’s Word and how we read it is to liken it to a treasure-filled cave waiting to be joyfully discovered (Psalm 119:162). If we want to connect the thrill of uncovering truth in God’s Word with our overarching goal of enjoying and exalting God, the acrostic MAPS is helpful:

MEDITATE and MEMORIZE – I’d recommend utilizing a structured Bible reading plan, but see what works for you. Always go for quality over quantity, reading slowly and reflectively. Ask questions about whatever you read, like: what’s this passage saying? What’s happening? Who wrote this? Who first read this? Who are the main characters? Which words are repeated or seem most important? And ask big picture questions, such as: What is this passage saying about who God is? What is it saying about who I am?

Some people say, “I just don’t memorize well.” Sure, different people have different capacities to memorize. But think about this: what if I told you I’d give you $1,000 for every verse you memorized between now and this time tomorrow? I’m guessing you’d memorize a few verses. In Psalm 119:72, David writes, “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” Perhaps it’s not about whether you can memorize but more about how much God’s Word is worth to you.

APPLY – Intentionally consider how God’s Word transforms different facets of life: heart, mind, affections, will, relationships, and purpose. Allow the truth you’ve meditated on and memorized to transform you from the inside out.

PRAY – Pray God’s Word back to him (go back to yesterday’s reading for an acrostic for PRAY). In John 15:7, Jesus assures us that prayers offered in accordance with his Word will be answered. This incredible assurance should encourage us to make prayer our knee-jerk response to our meditation on God’s Word.

SHARE – Actively look for opportunities to encourage others with what God has shown you in his Word. God’s Word is too good to keep to yourself. Don’t let it stop with you. Let it spread through you.

Before rushing into today, ask yourself: how is God calling me to enjoy and exalt him more through meditation on his Word? As you put these practices into action, may your love for God and his Word grow, leading you into a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with him.