Psalm 1:1-2
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
“Change your thoughts and you change your world” Norman Vincent Peale
Someone said, if you believe you can succeed, you are already halfway there. Your thoughts matter!
Psychologists today confirm that positive self-talk is one of the most critical avenues of therapy used in treating depression and managing stress. Self-talk is the act or practice of talking to oneself, aloud or silently.
The psalmist in this psalm thousands of years ago, states very simply what psychologists are discovering and defining today, the power of our thoughts. The importance of what fills our minds. Our thoughts are critical to our emotional and even physical well being sometimes. Thoughts translate to vision mission and action, just as negative thoughts can just pull you down and depress you.
In Psalm one, the psalmist begins by telling what a blessed person should not do – should not walk, stand or sit in the company of the wicked. Having established the don’t s, he now moves to the do s. He is saying, if you want to be blessed here is what you should do. The solution is rather simple, and again to do with your thoughts. Fill your mind with, soak yourself in the Word of God.
How: Delight yourself in the law of the Lord, says the psalmist. Not as a chore or ritual to be ticked off the to-do list. But something that you enjoy, look forward to. And that can only come from a vibrant, personal relationship. Only when you love the Person would you long to hear what He has to say.
What: Meditate on the Word. The blessed person not only delights, but ponders, dwells and meditates on the Word of God. Not just as a cursive reading, but ruminates, that is to chew the cud on. To think about, look at from different angles, hold up to the light and examine.
When: The blessed person meditates on God’s Word, always, day and night. Not once in a way, when nothing else to do but mediates on His Word, when out at work or play, when in bed and resting for the day. At all times, says the Psalmist. Continually, constantly, meditate on the Word of God.
2 Corinthians 10:5 says, bring every thought captive to the Lordship of Christ. And when we do, we are changing our world and the rules of our battle. The truth is that we are in constant battle with the forces of evil that surround us, day in and day out. But when we bring our thoughts captive to Christ and meditate on His Word, we then are in a place of victory with Jesus Christ as our Captain.
Would you choose to be cleansed and focused, to be in a place of victory, by delighting yourself, meditating on His Word continually?
Dear Lord, help me to delight in Your Word, increasingly, so that my thoughts would be brought under Your Lordship.
Ny weekly Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.
Thank you and God bless!