In my first two posts for this year I talked about what we were carrying in our spirits and what we might be chewing or meditating on. So now that have some language for seeing things we are waiting for already accomplished in the eternal realm, and having looked at scriptural meditation, how do we build on this foundation? I believe meditating on scriptural truth is what shifts our view to see from an eternal perspective. After all we each have the ability to engage eternity built into us (Eccl. 3:11, ‘He has put eternity in their hearts’). So how do we engage?
We live in a very busy world where we are easily distracted. 150 – 200 years ago most people went to bed and got up with the sun. They engaged in the natural rhythm of life. Given we cannot do that I believe we need to intentionally build silence and quiet into our lives. I have a friend who very regularly tramps around the mountains and talks with our Father. He hears a lot because it is a dialogue. Given that is not an option for most of us how do we build it into our ‘busyness?’
The answer is simple, the practice often difficult. We need to create a spot and time to just sit with Jesus. Practically find a spot and sit and relax and focus on His presence (He is there whether or not we feel Him). Then hold a scripture or scriptural thought before Him (His throne of grace is also there).
We are to then hold this in our mind and deeply reflect until it becomes a reality in our spirit and then becomes externally visible. I’m not suggesting this happens immediately, the practice is the antithesis of rushing. Rather as we sit with His word in His presence we are changed (see 2 Cor. 3:18). As our inward reality changes our outward reality and experience change and others experience us differently.
I know when I began to function in spiritual gifts like a word of knowledge (8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:8 (NKJV) it was the fruit of praying, pondering and thinking about at times during the day. This meant I was regularly holding it before the throne of grace. An internal idea expressed in prayer became an external reality. I still needed to exercise faith to operate in the gifts but they were stirred up in me through holding them before Him.
I was basically doing what Jesus said, I was asking, seeking and knocking, expressing the desires of my heart. If you want to enter further into this how about bringing these two verses and your desires before Him, then meditating deeply on them while believing that, outside of time they are already accomplished?
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:4-5 (NKJV)
