Devotional

Sometimes our focus can be so misdirected. The meditation of our heart is so often not where it should be.

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. – Psalm 1:2 HCSB

It is easy enough to delight in the reading of God’s Word. But, how does that translate into ongoing meditation throughout the day?

For most of us, the alarm goes off and we long for a little more time in bed. We find ourselves frantically packing lunches, brushing teeth and making sure all of the children are fully dressed. We are thrown head first into a day of carpool, work assignments, grocery shopping, bill paying and on and on it goes. No matter how delighted we were during our Bible reading time, the stresses of life interfere and our minds become overwhelmed with deadlines, diapers, and discouragement. No wonder we struggle with the concept of meditating on the Word of God.

Why is it so easy to go from delighting in the Lord to the depths of discouragement so quickly? It’s because, at some point during the day, we are in the Word. We are delighting in the law of the Lord. He is the focus of our thoughts and our eyes are solely on Him. The problem is, at some point, we really do have to close the Bible and go to work…or go make supper…or go to the store. So, what happens when we have to go about the normal duties of our days?

That is why this Psalm tells us that blessed is the one who delights himself in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. We have to be able to take what He has taught us and the things we know to be true of Him and meditate on that during our days.

When we’re tempted to complain about some responsibility that we wish belonged to someone else…Do everything without grumbling (Philippians 2:14.) When we become annoyed with someone and want to say something that may cause hard feelings…If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18.) When we find it hard to believe that anyone could not believe and follow the teachings of Christ, we are reminded…The light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:5.)

Tips for Meditating

Be sure that you are, in fact, delighting in His Word each day. If you are delighting yourself in His Word, God will bring appropriate truths to your mind when you encounter troubles or disappointments in your day-to-day walk.
Focus on Him. It is so easy to focus on what is going on around us. We find ourselves meditating on our current circumstances. We spend emotion and energy worrying about that difficult person in our lives or that situation that we can not change. We look everywhere except up. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning, I will direct it to you, and I will look up. –Psalm 5:3

What He Said:

Hagar had been used, mistreated and then abandoned. It’s safe to say that she was feeling a little forgotten. We find her in the wilderness weeping loudly over, what she believes to be, the sure death of her child.

…She left and wandered in the wilderness…So, as she sat nearby, she wept loudly. Genesis 21:14b, 16b HCSB

So, here is Hagar in the wilderness again. It was not that long ago, when she found out that she was pregnant, that she had run away into the wilderness. There she had an encounter with God where He confirmed that He did, indeed, see her (Genesis 16). She was so moved by that encounter that she referred to Him as The God Who Sees. In fact, she named the spring of water A Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.

He sees all.

And He sees me.

Yet, here we are with Hagar again in the wilderness weeping loudly. And, again, God comes to her.

Don’t be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy from the place where he is. Genesis 21:17 HCSB

God knew exactly where Hagar and her son were. And then, God opens her eyes and allows her to see that there was a well of water nearby.

He sees us in our wilderness and He is not unaware of the pain that drove us there. He sees us in the place where we are and he provides what we need to survive our time in that desert place.

He knows where you are right this very moment. When you cry alone in the shower and think nobody knows, He knows. When life seems to be moving right along with no regard to your devastation, He is there with you. Ask Him to open your eyes to the well of water in your wilderness.

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This post is part of a 31 Day series. Read the first post here.