Dear Ones:
Why would the Lord instruct, even command Joshua, who was to lead the people across the Jordan, and into the promised land, to “…meditate (…in the book of the law) day and night?” (Josh. 1:8) Why does God say that the man who is truly blessed is that one who “…meditates in the law of the Lord…day and night?” (Ps. 1:2) It is because the Word of God is ESSENTIAL to faith. Why? Because God has chosen this way to give us faith, strengthen our faith, thus providing us with HIS means of giving to us that which is of heaven, of Christ. We are called to live by faith. The word of God is a basic means by which that faith is received and used.
When Paul wrote to the Romans, “…faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” (Rom. 10:17) he unveiled to us that God works in and through the written truth of His word, to communicate to us, to give us faith. “FAITH COMETH…” How does it come? By hearing the word of God…God speaking through His word. The Lord tells us in Isaiah 55:11: “…So shall My word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall NOT return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” What is the Lord saying here? He is declaring to us that He reveals Himself to us through His word, that He actively works through and according to that word, to accomplish His purposes. Therefore, I believe it reasonable to say that if we neglect the word of God, we NEGLECT GOD, and we do this to our own hurt and peril. There is such everlasting blessing in the living word of God.
If we take as our examples the great men and women of faith, and those who likeminded contemporaries, I believe that we can say that without exception, they have been men and women of the Word, whose passion was to know the word of God. For in that word of God, they have learned to touch Eternity, or rather, the Eternal One. The neglect of reading and studying the word will have a profound and very real negative effect on faith, for the reason and direction of faith is put aside.
There is a problem concerning “meditating” in the word day and night, and it is the problem of not trusting the Lord Jesus to enable us all to gain ground in the matter. The objective is a perfect one…to meditate all the time. However, our limits are very flagrantly definite and real. But there is a POSSIBILITY by the Spirit to believe God for an increasing capacity to read the word of God, meditate on it, make it our own, and live in the living reality of it. The day of Pentecost opened the door to a new beginning of knowing God, by the Spirit, according to the will of God. The things impossible to the intellect of man, became possible by the Spirit, revealing the things of Christ to us. The simple question must be asked: Am I conscious that God does in reality speak though His word? If so, should this not thrill us, and at the same time, hold us in awe of the privilege and possibilities of trusting Him, and consequently, knowing Him?
“The just shall live by faith.” Faith is born by reading the word of God, meditating therein, and trusting the Lord by the Spirit to speak to our hearts. THEN, we will know Him better, love Him more, and serve Him increasingly aright. Is He not infinitely worthy of such a FAITH? Is He not worthy that I should make it a priority to meditate on His word?
Love, Dad