Monday, January 18, 2016
Note: To coincide with the week long observance of prayer and fasting at our church, the meditational thoughts this week will all be related to that subject.
One of you asked me in church yesterday about your interest in joining a class on meditation and what my thoughts were about it. I replied that what the world considers mediation is not the same as what the Bible says about it. This is what Wikipedia says about it: [“ Meditation is a practice where an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or for the mind to simply acknowledge its content without becoming identified with that content,[1] or as an end in itself.[2] The term refers to a broad variety of practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation, build internal energy or life force and develop compassion, love, patience, generosity and forgiveness.”] As old Colonel Potter from MASH used to say: “Horse feathers!” Meditation is like faith; both are as good as the source of it. For example, if I have faith on a person or thing it cannot be nearly as reliable as if I have faith in the One who is everywhere, knows all things, and has the power to do all things.
Back to meditation: It can only be of any benefit and value if your meditation is on God and His ways: David wrote: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my Redeemer.”(Psalm 19:14) Quite obviously, his thoughts were on God and His Word, and equally true, if they were on something or someone else, they would not be acceptable in His sight.
If you are going to join us in our week-long fast in any of the different methods one can employ, or if you plan on fasting on your own, keep in mind that it will be much more beneficial to you if prayer and meditation on God and His Word are part of it. If you fast with your focus on God, it will honor and please Him but the entire benefit will be yours. In other words, we are the ones that need the fast, not the Lord.
Memory verse for the week: (Joel 2:12 KJV) “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
