What Are You Meditating On?
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7
Someone has said, “You are what you think!” or “What you think about determines who you are!” From time to time it is important to take an inventory of what we think about – what we think about during the day that consumes the free moments. What do you think about at night when you are lying in bed and can’t sleep? What do you think about when you are driving, walking, running?
Puritan preacher, George Swinnock, suggests that we take those thinking moments and turn them into times of meditating on spiritual things. Here are his suggestions which I think are timeless:
Meditation prepares the heart for prayer.
Meditate on your sins, and hunt them out of their lurking holes; this helps in our confession.
Meditate on your needs, for God is fully able to supply them. Consider what you need – pardoning mercy, strength for victory, power against sin – that you may entreat God to give them to you.
Meditate upon His mercies to you from birth. Look at the dangers you have been delivered from, the journeys you have been protected in, the seasonable help he has sent to you, the suitable support he has afforded you in distress, the counsel he has given you in doubts, and the comforts he has provided you in sorrow and darkness. Every breath in your life is a gift of mercy. Do not forget the former favors bestowed on you and your family …
Meditate on your present mercies. How many do you enjoy – your house, family, body, and soul are full of blessings! Think of them particularly. Spread them out like jewels to your view.
Meditate on how freely they are bestowed, on their fullness and their greatness. But, O, your soul’s mercies – the image of God, the blood of Christ, eternal life, and seasons of grace! Your whole life is a bundle of mercies. These stir us up to bless the Giver.
Meditate on God to whom we pray. O how we are ashamed of our drops when we stand by this ocean!
Meditate on His mercy and goodness. These like Moses’ strokes will fetch water out of a rock. God delights to be sought and found. He delights to see men joyful in the house of prayer. God will not send you away sad.
When you have by meditation put the wood upon the altar, you may by prayer set fire to it and offer up a sacrifice of sweet smelling savour. – Adapted from Voices from the Past – Banner of Truth
Great stuff, men! Take that list and begin to meditate on the RIGHT things. You are what you think! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
Dig This Quote: Give us, O Lord, steadfast hearts that cannot be dragged down by false loves; give us courageous hearts that cannot be worn down by trouble; give us righteous hearts that cannot be sidetracked by unholy or unworthy goals. Give to us also, our Lord and God, understanding to know You, wisdom to recognize You, and a faithfulness that will bring us to see You face to face. Thomas a Kempis
Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8: 31-32; Level 2: Isaiah 40:28-31
Determined Praying: Prayer is a summit meeting in the throne room of the universe. Ralph A. Herring
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