It was my observation while reading Psalms — we quickly learn it is wise to talk to God about the cool stuff he has accomplished, our needs, and our struggles – then we seek insight from Him and His word. This is an intense encounter – This is meditation. Charles Spurgeon (a pastor from about 120 years ago) often said the Holy Spirit loves to illuminate the Son. For Spurgeon, this visual illumination came in the form of a prayer journal. As I recall, he would say our pencil is like a scalpel for our mind. If we take the time to write stuff down as we ruminate on something, God can and does become part of the formula. Write your internal conversation, ponder on the message, compare your thinking to the scripture you are thinking about. When we document things, we slow down our thoughts, we process more carefully, we hear more from the Holy Spirit. Try it — I suspect you will be pleased with the outcome.

Psalms 119:9-16 (paraphrased) says — How can a person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. As I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have taken the time to hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against you through ignorance. … Lord; teach me your decrees, your truth. Then, with focus, I am able to recount all the truth that comes from your heart. I rejoice in following your statutes and wisdom. … I meditate on your truth and consider your ways. I delight in your wisdom; I will not neglect the truth within your word when making decisions (NIV).

The last sentence in this quote says, ‘I meditate on your truth’. This is the notion I have been talking about. This is a commitment, a focused affirmation that we will start and stick to it. It is a response to the word of God, to the one true living God – we are saying YES. I know this takes effort; I am talking to myself as much as anyone who is reading this essay. But this level of thought should not be only for pastors, theologians, monks, but us, ordinary Christians who are slugging it out in a sea of evil, looking for the right path to follow. I suspect, without this kind of focus, it is difficult to experience a vibrant relationship with the one true living God. Push into this. You will be rewarded.

So, have a seat, read a few passages, think about the message, and press on with your day. Ask yourself, what exactly did I notice, how did it affect me, how will it affect my relationships at work and at home? Joshua wrote — Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8).

Do not make this complicated, do not be too hard on yourself. God gives you grace; you should be comfortable doing the same. The outcome of this effort is simple – you will grow, become at peace with yourself, your family, and your Job. Goodness, I know scripture is not easy to read. I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable. I am not saying you need to become a Rhodes Scholar. But I do want to encourage you to dig a little deeper. When God speaks, we should listen. Good stuff will happen.

This notion of meditation, focused prayer, and scripture mining can help you become more stable. I am suggesting you think about stuff you are reading in scripture, ponder on it, poke around the verses, focus on the ideas, the individual words, and parallel passages. Actively ponder on the meaning and how you can employ this new-found data in your life. Seek his wisdom. You will soon see the impact on you.

You will know that you are getting someplace when you are able to say – I have learned something from scripture and I need to make some life changes. The hardest part of failure is getting back up. Successful people know this small but particularly important difference between success and failure. Get back up. Find the right path. Move forward. Give Elohim permission to put his ‘Makers Mark’ on your heart. I choose Jesus.