A Magnolia's Heart Beats

WFW - The Word of God

Meditating and Considering the Word of God

The Word of God holds great richness and truth. What does it mean to meditate on the precepts of God and consider His ways and decrees?

The Hebrew word for meditate is siyach. We find that this is a verb (action!) that means:

1) to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing
a) (Qal)
1) to complain
2) to muse, meditate upon, study, ponder
3) to talk, sing, speak
b) (Polel) to meditate, consider, put forth thoughts

We, like the Psalmist, should truly meditate on God's Word. We should toss it around in our minds and heart, studying it and let it really seep in. We should share it with others, too, considering it and sharing what it means to us personally.

The Hebrew word for consider is nabat. This, too, is a verb, and means:

1) to look, regard
a) (Piel) to look
b) (Hiphil)
1) to look
2) to regard, show regard to, pay attention to, consider
3) to look upon, regard, show regard to

Can we truly even know the ways of God and meditate on His precepts if we are not reading the Bible daily, letting it soak in and thinking about passages we read throughout the day?

The Hebrew word for ways is 'orach. It means:

1) way, path
a) path, road
b) the path, way, passing of life (fig.)
c) way of living (fig.)
d) traveller, wayfarer (meton)

God's Word is not there just to decorate our homes and outwardly manifest our Christianity. It is there to be regarded, to be considered and paid attention to, and to show regard to. His Word is precious and holy and shows the paths of life we should take.

Delighting in the Word and Not Neglecting It

We should truly delight in the precious Words of the Lord and know what privelege we have in reading them. Many don't have the access to the Bible that we do. They simply cannot afford it or perhaps it is illegal in their country. Maybe there isn't a translation of the Word into the language that they understand. We have many versions of the Bible available to us and should never neglect in reading His Word.

The Hebrew word for neglect is shakach. It means:

1) to forget, ignore, wither
a) (Qal)
1) to forget
2) to cease to care
b) (Niphal) to be forgotten
c) (Piel) to cause to forget
d) (Hiphil) to make or cause to forget
e) (Hithpael) to be forgotten

May there never be a time that we forget, cease to care or let God's Word wither within us.

"Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors." ~ Psalm 119:24 (NIV)

The Hebrew word for statutes is `edah. It means:

1) testimony, witness
a) always plural and always of laws as divine testimonies

Delighting in God's Word

The Hebrew word for delight is sha`shua`. This is an intensive noun that means:

1) delight, enjoyment
a) delight
b) object of delight

We have the testimony, the witness of men before us, sharing God's Words and laws with us. The Bible was written by men of old, and is the inspired Word of God. It's a compliation of books rich in every genre a person could ask for. History, prophecy, science, romance, action, suspense, mystery, non-fiction, self-help...It's the best book a person could read! It has everything in it that would appeal to anyone, especially Christians.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

We should thoroughly delight in the Word of God, but we never will if we don't read it. What passages thrill you and delight you the most? I find the Gospels particularly thrilling. I love reading the Words of Christ and delving into the parables He spoke. I also delight in the Psalms and Proverbs. Most of my favorite delightful passages are the prophetical ones, the ones that speak of a new Heaven and new Earth. Ones that speak of no more tears and pain and sadness. I would never have known to look forward to Heaven were it not for reading the Word of God.

Making it Happen

As I said yesterday, "Dive into His Word and make it real and personal to you! Let me tell you, the Old Testament is anything *but* boring! It sets the stage for so much of the New Testament and is so rich in history. You'll recognize names, as in the case of Stephen's speech in Acts. You'll learn more and it all just ties so neatly in together."

I confess that when I first began to read through the Bible, the Old Testament stumped me. By the time I got to Leviticus my eyes were crossed and I would give up. I was led to begin doing the Bible in 90 Days Program, though, and I found that when I'd read huge chunks at a time I didn't get quite so bogged down. Soon I began to enjoy the OT and looking forward to my next reading of it. I loved recognizing the characters as they were referred back to and I would find nuggets nestled into seemingly mundane or boring chapters. Take the prayer of Jabez and God's answer, for instance. It's tucked into the lineage of the clan of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4. What else might I have missed? I did the program twice more, reading through the Bible three times within a year. I am not boasting there, just saying that God gave me a thirst for His Word like I had never had before.

What is the Word, the true Word of God? Jesus! While Genesis tells us one story of "In the beginning..." we are also told of another beginning.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." ~ John 1:1 (NIV)

How could you not delight in or not neglect Jesus? One way would be not to read His Word.

I encourage you to dive into the Word of God with a new outlook. Truly meditate in the Scriptures and don't neglect them. Most of all, delight in them.

D - Devote time to reading His Word. "I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." ~ Psalm 119:16 (NIV)

E - Enjoy the Word of God. "Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. " ~ Psalm 119:111 (NIV)

L - Love the Word of the Lord. "for I delight in your commands because I love them. " ~ Psalm 119:47 (NIV)

I - Immerse yourself in the Word. "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. " ~ Psalm 119:97 (NIV)

G - Gain understanding from His Word. "Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. " ~ Psalm 119:27 (NIV)

H - Hide God's Word in your heart daily. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. " ~ Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

T - Trust God's Word to bring you delight. "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! " ~ Psalm 119:103 (NIV)

Father, help us to return to a first-love of the Word of God. May we meditate on it and consider Your ways. Your Word is holy and precious, Lord, and is the fuel that propels us to walk in the way You have prepared for us. May we truly delight in the precepts and statutes we read in the Bibles we are so blessed to have, Lord. Give us a passion to share with others what we have learned, to spur one another on and encourage each other in Your precious Word. Thank You for making Your Word come alive through Your Son Jesus. I praise You for breathing a fresh love of Your Word into my life and pray it is contagious, causing others to want to read what I'm reading. Help us stay in Your Word daily, never neglecting Your truths. Thank You for the greatest theme of the Bible, the truly amazing grace that comes from the redemption we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thank You for Your Word, Lord, and for those who have worked so hard to translate it into versions we can understand. There is never an excuse to let dust grow on our Bibles just because we think we cannot understand it. Give us wisdom to discern Your Word and to let it seep into our hearts and souls. Help us to memorize the Scriptures You so freely gave us and to lead others to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. In His Name I pray...

The purpose of WFW is to share the Word of God through photo's and a verse. Amydeanne, over at The 160 Acre Woods, is our hostess. Be sure to link up and share your own, and drop her a thank you for hosting this wonderful meme each week. It always blesses my heart to read all the posts and see the photos and verses. This is a wonderful way to minister to others and to be ministered to by reading others posts. Please visit by clicking on the button below.