Meditating on the Word

                     By Patrick Hawthorne

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105 NKJV)

We hear it all the time…meditate on the Word. I don’t know about you, but when I think about meditation, my brain takes me to an image of a really skinny, half dressed man sitting cross legged on the floor making, “Ummmmm,” noises.  Well, I’m pretty sure that is not what the Lord means when He told us to meditate on His Word.

To meditate on the Word simply means to ponder, to mutter.   In other words, to mull it over by speaking it out.  By doing so, we allow the Holy Spirit to give life to the verse in a way that is personal to each of us.  Let’s take the opening Psalm for instance.  “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Your – This is talking about God our Heavenly Father.

Word – Word could mean God’s spoken word, written word… but it could also mean something much more.  In John 1:1,15, Jesus is called the Word of God

Lamp/light – Light illuminates  It shines and shows us those things directly around us. It  exposes hidden things such as sin.  Light also brings comfort and peace.. Light pushes back the darkness…

Feet – A lamp at our feet allows us to see what is directly in front of us to prevent stumbling.  It also helps to keep us from getting ahead of God.

Path – A way; a course of life.

By meditating on this one tiny verse, I received the following from the Lord.

“Father, I look to Jesus, through the written word of the Gospel, which is my moral, intellectual, and spiritual compass, and which keeps me from stumbling and falling into sin.  The light of Your word illuminates the course and path You have for me.  It exposes hidden sins in my life, allows me sure footing as I follow the calling You have for my life, and offers peace and protection by exposing the plans of the enemy.  As I move forward, step by step, You provide just enough light that I do not get ahead of You but stay right where I need to be.”

Go forth and meditate.  Be blessed