“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psa. 37:4).
Grace breeds delight in God, and delight breeds meditation. Godly meditation of the bible is a duty in which consists the essentials of religion, and which nourishes its very life-blood. That the Psalmist may show how much the godly man is habituated to this blessed work of meditation, he subjoins, “In his law does he meditate day and night;” not but that there may be sometimes intermission: God allows time for our calling, he grants some relaxation; but when it is said, the godly man “meditates day and night,” (Psalm 1:2) the meaning is, frequently; he always takes opportunity to accomplish that duty. (Thomas Watson, The Christian on the Mount)
Have you ever added into your devotions thirty minutes to meditate on the word of God? Have you thought about what it means to meditate day and night on the Word of God?
Thomas Watson said, “a godly Christian is a meditating Christian, Psalm 119:15. “I will meditate in your precepts.” 1 Tim. 4:15, “Meditate upon these things.” Meditation is the chewing on the truths we have heard. The beasts in the old law which did not chew the cud, were unclean; the professor who does not by meditation chew the cud, is to be accounted unclean. Meditation is like the watering of the seed, it makes the fruits of grace to flourish.”
The end why God has given us his Word written and preached, is not only to know it—but that we should meditate in it. The Scripture is a love letter which the great God has written to us. We must not run it over in haste—but meditate on God’s wisdom in writing, and his love in sending it to us. Why does the physician give his patient a remedy; is it only that he should read it over and know the remedy—or that he should apply it? The end why God communicates his Gospel remedies to us, is, that we should apply them by fruitful meditation. Do you think that God would ever have been at the pains of writing his law with his own finger—only that we should have the theory and notion of it? Is it not that we should meditate on it? Would he ever have been at the cost to send abroad his ministers into the world, to furnish them with gifts, (Eph. 4), and must they for the work of Christ be near to death—that the Christians should only have an empty head knowledge of the truths published? Is it speculation or meditation—which God aims at?
Contemplation
O Lord Jesus you are full of love, as you are of merit. What was it but love that he should save me? Love was the wing on which you flew into the virgin’s womb! How TRANSCENDENT you are in your love to the saints! It is a love “which passes knowledge,” (Eph. 3:19). My heart is the garden where you have planted this sweet flower of your love. It is the channel through which the golden stream of your affection runs through me.
How SOVEREIGN is your love! “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.” (1 Corinthians 1:26). It is amazing that you would pass by so many of noble birth and abilities, and that the lot of free grace should fall upon me—O the depth of divine grace!
How INVINCIBLE is your love! “It is strong as death,” (Song 8:6). Death might take away your life—but not your love! Neither can my sin wholly quench that divine flame of love. You put the finger of mercy on my scars and you heal me! You will not throw away your pearls for every speck of dirt! That which makes this love more stupendous, is that there was nothing in me to excite or draw forth your love! Your did not love me because I was worthy—but by loving me you have made us worthy!
How IMMUTABLE is your love! “Having loved his own, he loved them to the end,” (John 13:1). I am like letters of gold engraved on the heart of the Lord Jesus, which can never be erased. I will meditate much on the love of Christ as a result of this.
