Year of the Bible: Part Seven of TwelveSample

Focused Attention

Psalm 1 paints the picture of a blooming life that is fruitful, established, and prosperous—delighting and meditating in God's Word precedes this beautiful picture.

..." his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:2).

Delight is a response of the heart to the beauty and value of something or someone—in this case, to God's Word. In a dictionary definition, delight means "to take great pleasure or satisfaction or taking time to admire, adore, cherish, or indulge in." Delight is taking time to know God with all our attention and emotion, seeing Him through the lens of scripture, and placing all our heart's affection on His every Word.

Meditation means "to consider or examine attentively or deliberately." It implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on something to understand it deeply. Meditation involves the exercising of our will. Meditation done well should serve, strengthen, and sustain delight. Meditation allows the Word to penetrate our minds, hearts, and wills more deeply. Through meditation, we are "transformed by the renewal of our mind" (Romans 12:2). Meditation sends our roots down deep, taking in more and more of the life-giving water of the Word.

Our lives are unbelievably distracted, and meditating is more challenging than ever. Therefore, it is imperative to intentionally cultivate meditation on God's Word. Delighting takes careful consideration and undivided attention. May you lay hold of the blessing of Psalm 1 as you delight in the beauty and value of God's Word and seek to sustain and strengthen that delight through intentional meditation.

Question: What are some things you can do to cultivate the practice of meditating and delighting in God's Word?

Prayer: Pray for God to enhance your ability to engage your mind and heart as you read His Word.