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MEDITATION

By George W. Sinquefield

Psa. 1:1 through Psa. 1:3 (KJV)
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

        "Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men's advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But then delight in doing everything God wants them to and day and night are always meditating on His laws and thinking about ways to follow Him more closely. They are like trees along a river bank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper." (The Living Bible)

        We find so often in the Bible where God is advising His people to spend time in silence, meditating upon His Word and their relation to Him. One of the urgent needs of our lives is to do as Jesus said, "Come aside and rest" and do some very serious thinking and meditating.

Mark 6:7 through Mark 6:12 (KJV)
7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mark 6:30 through Mark 6:32 (KJV)
30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. Mark 6:7-12, 30-32

        Meditation is an essential to a healthy spiritual life. Several years ago I heard a preacher make this statement: "Even with all the modern gadgets -- I have never seen so many tired people." I think he was right. While it is both a normal and a satisfying experience to become tired after having done hard work, there are many people who have "that tired, run down feeling," with no apparent cause.

        A woman went to a doctor because she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The doctor gave her this advice: "Madam, I would advise you spend fifteen minutes every morning in private devotion. Read you Bible for five minutes. If you don[t know how to pray, learn how, You are simply God hungry." At this the woman became angry and remonstrated by saying, "I came here for physical diagnosis, not for spiritual advice." The doctor answered,, "Madam, that is my diagnosis and it will cost you fifty dollars." Angrily, she stormed out of the office; but because she was desperate, she tried it. Her nerves quieted down. She received spiritual food and fear stopped gnawing at her heart. The hunger of her soul was satisfied, and she came to God and got her spiritual life straightened out.

        Barclay -- "For the Christian life is a continuous going into the presence of God from the presence of men and coming out into the presence of men from the presence of God."

I.   Have We Forgotten How To Meditate?

        The rush of our modern life is drawing us away from the abundant life of patience, kindness, of consideration for others. Nerves are tense, tempers reach the breaking point, rash words are used, and friendships are broken. We seem unwilling to take time to relax and rest our tired minds and bodies. We cannot meet the day's temptations when we have not prepared ourselves for them."

        A preacher of this day said, "There was a day when men meditated upon holly truths. That day is largely gone. Today, we live in a rush -- a rush to get, to make and to spend. The art of serious meditation is lost today."

        On one occasion, the Archbishop of Canterbury sent out invitations to the ministers of his area to join him in the observance of a "quiet day.." One of the brethren responded by saying, "Your Grace, we have a greater need for an explosion than for a quiet day!" This pretty well characterizes our present day society.

        Norman Cousins, editor of the Saturday Review has said, "Plainly this is not the age of meditative man. It is a squinting, sprinting, showing age. Substitutes for repose are a million dollar business. Silence, already the nation's most critical shortage, is almost a nasty word. Modern man may or may not be obsolete, but he is certainly wired for sound and has ants in his pants."

        Charles A. Lindbergh, aviation executive and author, Darien, Conn.: "Living in rented apartments, jamming roads and subways, punching time clocks, cramming the minds of his children with technical knowledge, modern man sacrifices health of body and freedom of spirit to the scientific idol of his time. On its altar go the smell of earth, the feel of wind and weather, warmth of friendship, understanding of children, even the contemplation of God; all these are given over to a materialistic existence."

        Don Herold, writer, Brookfield, Conn.: "If today's average American is confronted with an hour of leisure, he is likely to palpitate with panic. An hour with nothing to do? He jumps into a car and drives off fiercely in pursuit of diversion. We 'catch' a train. We 'grab' a bite of lunch. Everything has to be active and electric. We need less leg action and more acute observation as we go. Slow down the muscle and stir up the mind."

        A French writer visited America in 1830 and had this to say about the Americans: "The American is so restless that he has even invented a chair, called a rocking chair, in which he can move while he sits." Isn't it true that a rocking chair is like worry -- it moves but gets nowhere.

        A rich man is said to have asked his secretary, "What is that noise I hear?" "Why, that is a bird singing." "A bird singing?" he replied. "That is the first bird I have heard sing in ten years." Too busy making money to hear the sweet music of a mocking bird. So many are so busy making a living that they do not have time to live.

        Clarence W. Cranford says, "We live at such a tempo that tension is almost an inevitable result. Our forefathers worked hard and got tired too, but they did not live at the same pace we do. They could not speed along the highways at 60 or 70 miles per hour, but had to be content with the more leisurely gait of a horse drawn vehicle. They developed patience waiting for the crops to grow. Whereas we rush to the store and get upset if we have to wait in line to pay for our groceries, they took time to worship, to enjoy their neighbors, and to enjoy family fellowship and conversation. As for worship we sing "O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him" then fidget if the sermon goes over twenty minutes.

        In 1895 a New York preacher preached a sermon about the fast living of his day. He talked about the bicycle craze. The first cars ran 15 miles per hour. Many prominent doctors said that this was a dangerous speed and would result in heart failure for many people. But today our cars run eighty and ninety miles per and we ride on planes at 5 and 6 hundred miles per hour and think nothing of it.

        Dr. R. L. Middleeton tells of a busy denominational worker who, hurried to his office one morning. A negro shoe shine boy waved a friendly greeting, and then unconsciously rebuked him with this admonition, "Boss, you walks too fast." He continued by saying, "One of the big troubles with the world is that people are walking too fast, driving too fast, eating too fast."

        We are always in a hurry. We try to do too many things. We get impatient when we have to wait for anything or anybody. Delays upset us. All too many of us are like the children when they get in the family car and out on the broad highways. They exclaim, "Go fast, Daddy, go fast!" We should remember that the faster we walk or run, the easier it is to lose our balance, to stumble and to fall."

        A band of explorers in Africa hired some villagers to help them on their journey through the jungle. The group set out and pushed on relentlessly for several days. Finally the tribesmen sat down and would go no farther. When asked the reason, their leader answered, "We've been going too fast. We must pause and wait for our souls to catch up with our bodies!"

        Many Christians who have over extended themselves in a flurry of church activities or other worthwhile pursuits have experienced a similar feeling. Being so preoccupied with helping others, they suddenly feel as if they have left behind the most important part of themselves -- their soul. They have lost intimate contact with the Lore.

        If our schedule leaves no time for rest and nurturing our spiritual life, we are just too busy! God does not ask us to be constantly on the go, rushing here and there. Sometimes He wants us to "rest a while" so that our souls can "catch up" and be refreshed for the challenges that lie ahead.

        Jesus knows our human frailties and He knows that we need to come aside and have our physical and spiritual batteries recharged through a time of rest and fellowship with Him.

        A lady was asked what she was going to do while her two small sons were visiting their grandmother. She said, "Something I haven't done for a long time -- just listen to the silence."

        Ralph Harper writes, "We know that serious things have to be done in silence. In silence men love, pray, listen, compose, paint, write, think, and suffer."

        Richard E. Lyon, clergyman, Lockport, N.Y.: "Modern man seems to be afraid of silence. We are conditioned by radio and television on which every minute must be filled with talking, or some kind of sound. We are stimulated by the American philosophy of keeping on the move all the time -- busy, busy, busy. This tends to make us shallow. A person's life can be deepened tremendously by periods of silence, used in the constructive ways of meditation and prayer. Great personalities have spent much time in the silences of life."

        Some people can't stand silence. There must be noise, radios, television, etc. No wonder so many are on drugs and nerve pills.

        A man in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida realized that every time he drove through a tunnel the radio in his car would go silent. He convinced the authorities to have the tunnel wired. Now the only way you can escape the noise is to turn off your radio.

        Dr. Vance Hauner said, "If Christians do not "come apart and rest a while," they may just come apart."

A Prayer for These Times
By Orin L. Crain

Slow me down, Lord!
Ease the pounding of my heart By the quieting of my mind.
Steady my hurried pace
With a vision of the eternal reach of time.
Give me, amidst the confusion of my day,
The calmness of the everlasting hills.
Break the tensions of my nerves
With the soothing music of the singing streams
That live in my memory.
Help me to know
The magic, restoring power of sleep,
Teach me the art of taking minute vacations.
Of slowing down
     to look at a flower;
     to chat with an old friend or make a new one;
     to pat a stray dog;
     to watch a spider spin a gossamer web;
     to smile at a child;
     or to read a few lines from a good book.
Remind me each day
That the race is not always to the swift;
That there is more in life than increasing its speed.
Let me look upward
Into the branches of the towering oak
And know that it grew great and strong
Because it grew slowly and well
Slow me down, Lord!
And inspire me to send my roots deep
Into the soil of life's enduring values,
That I may grow toward the stars
Of mu great destiny.

II.   Think Upon God And His Word.

        God, our Heavenly Father wants His child to take tie to fellowship with Him. If our lives and our service for Him is to bear fruit, our fellowship with Him must have first place. Time with Him must take priority. He desires such and if our worship and fellowship with Him is neglected, our work will be deficient.

        G. Campbell Morgan told a story about a father and his young daughter who were especially close. They enjoyed spending time together. If he went for a walk or made a social call, she wanted to go along. But then he began to notice a change. When he asked her to accompany him on errands, she made excuses. As the weeks passed, he became concerned about it.

        When his birthday came, she presented him with a pair of slippers she had made. Then he realized that she had been working on them while he was out of the house. "Darling, I like these slippers very much," he said gently, "but next time buy the slippers and let me have you all the days. I would rather have you than anything you can make for me."

        In the early 1900's a young stage actress spent two years in Europe. Much of this time was spent in concert halls and art museums. Later in life when people asked why she had given so much time to things that were not directly related to her successful career, she answered, "I wanted to expose myself to the best, so I would always know what was better."

        That is not a bad idea for us. Of course, this is one reason we come to worship. In his autobiography, Albert Schweitzer said that one of the main things his parents did for him as a child was to take him to worship services, even though he was too young to understand much of what was going on. He claimed it is not important that children understand everything. What is important is "that they shall feel something of what is serious and solemn...."

        The Bible often admonishes us to think. John B. Johnson in his book, The Sin Of Being Fifty has this to say about man's ability to think. "The greatest thing in this world is man; that is mankind. The greatest thing in man is the mind. The supremacy of the mind is due to its ability to think. This glorious capacity distinguishes man from the beast. God taught the bees their sociology. He gave the genius of organization to the ants and the instinct of direction to the bird, but to man He gave the power to think."

        Our sin is that we don't take the time to seriously think. William Janus says, "Less than 10 percent of the brain power is cultivated." Peter Marshall said in prayer before the United States Senate, "Forgive us all that we talk too much and think too little."

        One has made this statement. "If many of us should think for five minutes, we would have to spend five weeks in the hospital." I don't know if he is right or not, but I do know that we Christians should spend a lot of time in serious thinking.

        Mareus Aurelius said, "A man's life is what his thoughts make him." Jesus said the same thing. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

        Spurgeon said, "The last thing some people will do is to think. They would rather have a day's hard work on the treadmill than ten minutes solitary, serious thinking."

        The Word of God so many times urges us to think.

Matt. 5:17 (KJV)
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matt. 10:34 (KJV)
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Matt. 22:42 (KJV)
42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

Acts 13:25 (KJV)
25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

Rom. 12:3 (KJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Eph. 3:20 (KJV)
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

1 Pet. 4:12 (KJV)
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Phil. 4:8 (KJV)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

1 Tim. 4:13 (KJV)
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

        It would be for our good if we would spend more time thinking about God. What kind of a God is He and what has He done for us? What does His love want to do for us now?

        Roger Babson said, "When business worries me, I think about God. If someone has been unkind to me, I think about God. If I should come to face disaster, I would think about God."

        What kind of a God is God?

  1. God is omnipotent.

            That means He is all mighty, that He possesses all power. J. B. Phillips wrote a book entitled, Your God Is Too Small. With our finite minds we cannot begin to comprehend the greatness, the almightyness of God, our Heavenly Father.

    Gen. 17:1 (KJV)
    1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

    Job 9:1 through Job 9:10 (KJV)
    1 Then Job answered and said, 2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. 4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? 5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. 6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. 7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. 8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. 9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. 10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

    Job 26:7 (KJV)
    7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

    Isa. 40:18 through Isa. 40:26 (KJV)
    18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? 19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. 20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. 21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: 23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. 25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.


  2. God is omniscient.

            That means that has all knowledge -- that He knows everything.

    Isa. 46:9 through Isa. 46:10 (KJV)
    9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

    Psa. 94:11 (KJV)
    11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

    Heb. 4:13 (KJV)
    13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.


  3. God is omnipresent

            That means He is everywhere at the same time.

    Jer. 23:24 (KJV)
    Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

    Psa. 139:7 through Psa. 139:12 (KJV) r>7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.


  4. God is a faithful God.

            That means He is faithful to keep His Word. He'll keep every promise He has ever made.

    1 Cor. 1:9 (KJV)
    9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

    1 Thess. 5:24 (KJV)
    24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

    2 Thess. 3:3 (KJV)
    3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

    2 Tim. 2:13 (KJV)
    13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

    1 John 1:9 (KJV)
    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

            Many other passages declare that God is faithful. We are also told that God cannot lie.

    Titus 1:2 (KJV)
    2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

    Heb. 6:18 (KJV)
    18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:


  5. God is love.

            He is the very embodiment of love. He love is the "agape" type love -- the unselfish love. He loves us for our good, for our sake.

    1 John 4:8 (KJV)
    8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:8

            The Bible is God's inspired Word and we are to read it, study it and meditate upon it.

    Josh. 1:8 (KJV)
    8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

    Psa. 1:2 (KJV)
    2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

    1 Tim. 4:15 (KJV)
    15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

            What a blessing it is to meditate on some of the great promises God has made. Let us look at a few of them.

    John 3:16 (KJV)
    16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

            We could spend a long time thinking about the greatness of His love as stated in this verse.

    John 5:24 (KJV)
    24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

            He promised that those who believe in Jesus will be saved and will never perish but will have everlasting life. Think of it -- everlasting life, not life till we sin -- not life is we remain faithful but everlasting life.

    John 6:47 (KJV)
    47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

            He promises that those who believe in Jesus will have everlasting life and notice He says "hath" or "has." One has everlasting life the very moment he believes in Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.

    Rom. 8:28 (KJV)
    28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

            What a wonderful promise this is. He has promised to work i all things -- all our experiences -- for our good.

            We could go on and on for there are so many great ad precious promises He has made. Someone has said that God has made over 30,000 promises to His people and we can be assured He'll keep everyone of them.

III.   The Results Of Meditation

  1. We Become Stronger

            "We are never strong enough to meet the problems of life unless we are strong on the inside. -- R. L. Middleton

    Psa. 27:13 through Psa. 27:14 (KJV)
    >13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

            We are told that in the British Navy it was once a rule that whenever a sudden disaster came, the bugler's duty was to play what is called "The Still." When the men heard it, they were to stop perfectly quiet for a moment and recollect his senses and thus be better prepared for intelligent action.

            A great French surgeon said that if he had 4 minutes in which to perform an operation on which a human life depended he would take one minute to consider how best to do it. "Take time to think, it is the source of power."

            Charles Kingsley says of Turner, the great painter, that he spent hours and hours in the mere contemplation of nature without using a brush or pencil. Turner once spent a whole day sitting upon a rock, throwing pebbles into a lake. When evening came, his fellow painters chided him for having done nothing and showed him their sketches. He said, "I have done this, at least: I have learned how a lake looks when pebbles are thrown into it." None of his fellow students could ever paint ripples as Turner painted them

            Historians have written that, on the night before a great battle, Napoleon's commanders all went to their commander's tent one by one. Reportedly, it was a strange procession, for no one said a word as they came into Napoleon's presence. Each man simply looked into his commander's eyes, shook his hand, then turned and walked out of the tent ready to lay down his life for his beloved general.

    Isa. 30:15 (KJV)
    15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. Isaiah 30:15

            Taken at its face value, this verse simply says that strength comes about through quietness and confidence. So you want to have strength to carry you through life buoyantly and abundantly? Then you may.First, learn how to be quiet. It is not easy because silence is possibly the most difficult of all virtues to acquire. It is hard because of the "rush - rush" of our modern civilization.

            The Psalmist said; "Be still and know that I am God." This will mean that every day you will find a time when you can be along with your thoughts. Five minutes will suffice, although you should take longer. At this time be still and calm and let God's strength fill your life.

            One has given us something to think about. "We should remember that the faster we walk or run, the easier it is to lose our balance, to stumble and to fall."

            We often find ourselves so busy, too busy. We rush here and yonder trying to do so much, and in reality we accomplish so little. We must learn to wait on the Lord, know his will and be empowered to do what He desires us to do. So many scriptures teach us to wait on the Lord.

    Isa. 40:31 (KJV)
    31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

    Psa. 27:14 (KJV)
    14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

    Psa. 37:9 (KJV)
    9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

    Psa. 37:34 (KJV)
    34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

    Psa. 59:9 (KJV)
    9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

            Silence brings stillness of spirit. Silence promotes clearness and accuracy of mental vision. When you are long silent, your profoundest thoughts tend to disclose themselves. It is in the silent sanctuary of your own spirit, when you have shut out all worldly thoughts and cares, that you come into intimate communion with the source of all good. It is then that you become most deeply conscious of your God given powers. Times of silence are essential to spiritual growth, but this does not mean detachment and aloofness. After periods of silence and solitude you should return to society with vastly increased power for sympathy and service.


  2. Meditation Increases Our Faith.

            As one meditates upon God, His greatness, love, Word, faithfulness, his faith is made to grow stronger.

    Rom. 10:17 (KJV)
    17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

            One will ask, "How can I get more faith?" How can I have stronger faith?" Faith comes as we meditate on the Word of Our Lord. Just try to realize how good and great and powerful and merciful God is and then trust yourself to Him. Believe with all your heart that He loves you and is seeking to do you good if you will only let Him.

            "It is not the number of books you read, nor the variety of sermons you hear, nor the amount of religious conversation in which you mix, but it is the frequency and earnestness with which you meditate on these things till the truth in them becomes your own and part of your being that ensures growth." -- F. W. Robertson


  3. Meditation Brings Dedication.

            Rutledge said, "Clean living is a product of clean thinking."

            One reminds us -- "The Christian whose life does not have these enriching periods of aloneness, meditation, and thoughtful quietness soon becomes mentally and spiritually impoverished. The life lived too much in the crowd can soon be swallowed up by the crowd. If we live and think only of the things of the world, we can so easily become like the world."

            A preacher tells of a woman who came to him to discuss the matter of facing death. She had learned that there was a good chance of malignancy. He said, "I am convinced more than ever that if people thought more about death, eternity and judgment, there would be more consecrated Christians in our churches."


  4. Give God A Chance To Speak To Us.

            Rarely does God speak as a voice from heaven. Rather, He seems to direct His people through the circumstances and the people that He allows into our lives. God is speaking. As someone said, "You just have to know how to listen."

            "The voice of God is a gentle voice and we can't hear it, when it is in competition with other voices." -- Evelyn Vanderhill

    1 Kin. 19:12 (KJV)
    12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

    Job 4:15 through Job 4:17 (KJV)
    15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: 16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, 17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

            Millard A. Jenkins in his book The Contemporary Gospel states: "In the busy life f today we need the 'hush hour.' In every railway office throughout the country a few moments before twelve o'clock noon, telegraph instruments become silent. Operators lean back in their chairs and wait.

            Then the instrument gives a certain signal. Just as the sun passes over the meridian line, this signal is flashed out by the observatory and time pieces are set. It is the nation's 'hush hour' for getting and keeping in touch with time. And God's people must have their hush hour for getting and keeping in touch with Him.

            God speaks to man through nature.

            George Washington Carver: "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting system through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune Him in."

    Psa. 19:1 (KJV)
    1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork.

    Rom. 1:18 through Rom. 1:20 (KJV)
    18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

            The wonders of creation point to our wonderful Creator.

            "Dressed for warmth and walking the path by memory, I crept through the pre-dawn darkness to sit at a quiet place in Michigan's north woods. I settled at the base of a 60 foot white pine, got comfortable, and joined the silent forest. As day began to break, discernible shapes emerged from the darkness. Inch by inch the dawn appeared, and with it came the awakening of the forest.

            Here and there birds began to sing. A flock of majestic geese flew low to the horizon, punctuating the sky with their busy conversation. A doe and her fawns moved soundlessly along the pine break. A red squirrel stared at me and flicked his tail.

            How could I experience the majestic panorama of God's creation and not praise Him? Quietly I did so, but my mind was shouting glory to His name for all the angels to hear. Yet, compared with the giant beech trees, lacy cedars, whip thin poplars, and leafy ferns, my praise seemed insignificant. What could my words add to the wonder of the perky chickadee and the fleet footed rabbit?

            The author of Psalm 148 understood that all nature reflects the Creator's power and greatness. On that cool fall day I was privileged to join creation in glorifying God by dawn's early light." -- Copied

    All of creation shouts in praise
    To God who made it all;
    I add my voice and say Amen!
    Although I feel so small. -- K. DeHaan

            Jesus is still saying to us, "Come aside and rest." Come aside and think. Come aside and pray. Come aside and meditate.