We first read about meditating in the Bible in Genesis 24:63 where we are told that Isaac went out to the field to meditate. When Joshua took over from Moses, God gave him some instructions and He told him the importance of meditating on the word and that this would cause him to prosper and be successful (Josh 1:8). To meditate means to think about something over and over, to ponder it and even study it. Psalm 1 talks further about meditating, saying that the person who habitually meditates on the word will be like “a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does he prospers “(Psalm 1:3; ESV). Wow! That sounds like true prosperity to me! Psalm 119 is a long psalm which is almost entirely dealing with the word of God. There are several verses in this psalm which talk about meditating on the word such as verse 97, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

In the New Testament Phil 4:8 in the Message Bible reads, “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst, the beautiful, not the ugly, things to praise, not things to curse.” Learning to meditate like this takes practice but the more we meditate on God and His word and good things the less we will meditate on anxious, fearful and negative thoughts. Give yourself time today to not just read the word but to meditate on those verses that stand out to you and let God give you revelation.

In all our pressing into God, seeking greater revelation of His word and the excitement of growing in our relationship with Him it is important to be reminded sometimes of some of the foundations of our faith. Recently I was reminded that as Christians we are God’s “dear children” (Eph 5:1; NKJV). The apostle Paul quoted God as saying, “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters (2 Cor 6:18; NKJV). In Galatians 3:26 we read that we “are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (NKJV). We have been adopted as God’s sons (Eph 1:5). Jesus is our brother (Heb 2:11), “the eldest in a vast family of brothers” (Rom 8:29; Wey). As God’s sons and daughters, He has “sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying, “Abba Father”” (Gal 4:6; NKJV). “Abba Father” is an intimate name for our Father God, like us calling Him daddy. In Eph 2:10, Paul tells us that God sees us as His “workmanship”. The Greek word translated “workmanship” can also mean work of art or poem. That’s how our Father sees each one of us. God’s sons and daughters are those who are led by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14), they are peacemakers (Luke 6:35), they walk in love and selflessly do good (Luke 6:35). The Bible promises us that those who walk a victorious Christian life will inherit all the blessings of eternal life as God’s “sons and daughters” (Rev 21:7; MSG). Sometimes we need to close our eyes and try to take in all it means to be sons and daughters of our heavenly Father, our heavenly daddy. Now that’s more than exciting!

The fifteenth chapter of John’s gospel has much to say about abiding. The Greek word for “abide” is meno and means to remain, not to depart, continue, stay, live. To me it means being in close fellowship with the Lord throughout the day, not being in one day and out the next. “So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you” (John 15:4; TPT). We are further told that if we abide in the Lord, we will bear fruit (John 15:4,5), our prayers will be answered (John 15:7), we will not sin (1 John 3:6) and we will enjoy God’s protection, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps 91:1; NKJV).

David, at the end of the 23rd psalm declares that “the house of the Lord (and His presence) shall be my dwelling place” (Ps 23:6; AMPC). Paul, praying for the Ephesians says, “May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!” (Eph 3:17; AMPC.)

Obviously, it is important that we abide in Christ and He in us, there are many scriptures to back this up, but how do we do it? We can’t spend all day long on our knees. However, as we go through our day we can keep bringing our mind back to God; praising Him, thanking Him and sending short prayers as often as we remember. “For all who obey His commands find their lives joined in union with him, and He lives and flourishes in them” (1 John 3:24; TPT).

Sometimes when we talk to people about becoming a Christian, they feel unworthy or too sinful. Many Christians also look back at their former lives and will not allow themselves to receive all God has for them. We all need to be reminded that Jesus, through His sacrifice on the cross, won forgiveness for us for all of our sins (Col 2:13b). In the Greek “all” means “all”! That would encompass all sins past, present and future.

When we asked Christ into our lives as Lord and Saviour (Rom 10:9-10) the apostle Paul told us that we became a “new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17; NKJV). Our spirits were made new (John 3:5-7) and we entered into an abundant life with God (John 10:10b). Paul encouraged us to forget the past and press into the future God has for us (Phil 4:13-14). Jesus used an analogy saying that a plowman doesn’t look back (Luke 9:62). Jesus will enable us to change to be more like Him (Phil 1:6) and to put off the old pre-Christian person we were and embrace the new person He has for us (Eph 4:22-24). Our primary focus in life needs to be to, “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Col 3:2; NKJV). We need to prayerfully study God’s word and allow the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-15) to reveal God’s plan and purpose for your life (Ps 139:16). God loves each one of us, we are His children (1 John 3:1-2) and His desire is to bless us here and now and in an eternity in heaven. Be encouraged, look ahead, put the past behind you.

In John 8:12, Jesus spoke and said that He was the “Light of the World” which He expands upon in John 12:46; (AMPC), “I have come as a light into the darkness, so that whoever believes in Me (whoever cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me) may not continue to live in darkness.” (See also, John 8:12 and John 9:5).

Thinking in natural terms, what does light do? It shows us the way clearly (Psalm 119:105) and it dispels darkness (John 1:5). This is exactly what Jesus did and what He is still doing. He guides us one step at a time so we won’t stumble or take the wrong path.

Not only did Jesus say He was the light of the world but He also said that we are the light of the world! (Matt 5:14). Also, in Eph 4:8 we learn that we must, “walk as children of Light (lead the lives of those native-born to the Light)” (AMPC). The very next verse tells us how to do that, “in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart and trueness of Life” (Eph 4:9; AMPC). In other words, we need to let our light shine so non-Christians can see Jesus in us. “In the same way let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16; CSB).

As you meditate on these verses bear in mind that the light in Jesus is so bright that in the New Jerusalem, “The city has no need of sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the splendour and radiance (glory) of God illuminate it, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Rev 21:23; AMPC). Hallelujah!