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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Meditation That Matters

Lord, you are mine! I promise to obey your words! With all my heart I want your blessings. Be merciful as you promised. I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to your instructions. I rise at midnight to thank you for your just regulations. I am a friend to anyone who fears you—anyone who obeys your commandments. O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth; teach me your decrees.” (Psalm 119:57-64, NLT)


For several weeks now, I have been walking through Psalm 119 with my family prior to the start of the boys’ school day and my workday. We are in our second trip through this marvelous chapter examining the importance of God’s laws, commands, decrees, statues, and our submission to them. Today (March 11, 2010) I was simply struck with the phrase: “I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws.” “Ponder” in Hebrew means “to think, to meditate.” John Phillips says, “To think is one thing the devil does not want us to do.” The Devil would rather us be constantly diverted from meditation on the things that make a difference.


The Psalmist pondered “the direction” of his life. Do you ever ponder the direction of your life? Do you ever think about where you are headed? Do you remember the study of the Prodigal Son we did a few months ago? Luke states, “But when he came to himself…” (Luke 15:17) The prodigal son began to talk to himself, think within himself, about his path, about his destination. In so doing, he demonstrates where repentance begins, with an accurate assessment of your condition. He came to an end of himself.

He then began to live out Psalm 119: 59. He took responsibility for his life. He made a full confession. He left home saying “Give me!” Then he returned home saying “Make me!” He throws himself on the Father’s mercy. He pondered the direction of his life – he thought about his destination. He saw the wide road of destruction he was on and knew it would not take him where he needed to be. Therefore he made a course correction. He “turned to follow.”


Do you ever meditate on where your feet are taking you? Have you rightly assessed the path and found it to be – deep inside the recesses of your heart – an undesirable path? Are you willing to turn your feet today?

A recent promotion by H. R. Block Inc. offered walk-in customers a chance to win a drawing for a million dollars. Glen and Gloria Sims of Sewell, New Jersey, won the drawing, but they refused to believe it when an H. R. Block representative phoned them with the good news.

After several additional contacts, the Sims still thought it was all just a scam and usually hung up the phone or trashed the special notices. Some weeks later, H. R. Block called one more time to let the Sims know the deadline for accepting the million-dollar prize was nearing and that the story of their refusal to accept the prize would appear on an upcoming NBC "Today Show."

At that point, Mr. Sims decided to investigate further. A few days later, he appeared on the "Today Show" to tell America that he and his wife had finally gone to H. R. Block to claim the million-dollar prize. Mr. Sims final words were: "From the time this has been going on, H. R. Block explained to us they really wanted a happy ending to all this, and they were ecstatic that we finally accepted the prize." (NBC "Today Show", 7-09-01)

God also just wants a happy ending and that can be the case if you will stop ignoring or running from him and respond to his offer of restoration. The psalmist “hurried, without delay.” Think about the direction of your life – and turn your feet!


Until Next Week,


Dr. Derek

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