Engage God's Word Like The Psalmist
Cultivate regular rhythms of reading, studying, and meditating upon God’s word
On Sunday, we were encouraged to respond to Psalm 19 - the preeminent Psalm of Reorientation - by eagerly and expectantly intaking God’s word. This is because God’s word is God’s way of bringing reorientation to our weary souls when we become disoriented through sin. We need God’s word to speak into any and every experience of disorientation we face and thoroughly address the anatomy of our souls.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE BE READING THE BIBLE?
Consider the words of John Blanchard:
“Surely we have to be realistic and honest with ourselves to know how regularly we need to turn to the Bible. How often do we face problems, temptation and pressure? Every day! Then how often do we need instruction, guidance and greater encouragement? Every day! To call these felt needs up into an even greater issue, how often do we need to see God’s face, hear his voice, feel his touch, know his power? The answer to all these questions is the same: every day!”
LOOK TO AND LEARN FROM THE EXAMPLE OF THE PSALMIST
But beyond the words of this pastor, consider the words of the Psalmist himself. If you were to read Blanchard’s words and say, “But where does the Bible command us to have a “daily devotional” or “quiet time” each day?” We’d do well to look to and learn from the example of the Psalmist in Psalm 119. Reflect upon the verses below which describe the Psalmist’s engagement with God’s word to help frame your understanding of the fervency, frequency, and expectancy with which we should approach God’s word:
o “With my whole heart I seek you” (119:10)
o “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (119:11)
o “My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to you word!” (119:25)
o “My soul melts away from sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!” (119:28)
o “I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes” (119:48)
o “I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law” (119:55)
o “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (119:97)
o “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (119:103)
o “I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil” (119:162)
What is the posture of the Psalmist before God’s word? He is feasting on God’s word like a hungry man. Applying God’s word to himself like a wounded man applies medicine to his wounds. Always meditating upon God’s word, “in the night” and “all the day” like a disoriented sinner who is desperately starved and a delighted saint who finds the deepest of satisfaction in knowing God through his word. Perhaps “daily devotions” or “quiet times” are far too tame an expression to describe the experience of the Psalmist! His primary focus in, filter for, and foundation of all of his thinking, feeling, and doing is the word of God. Daily devotions are the beginning of us coming into the fullness of the experience of the Psalmist as he loves God’s word and readily and regularly places himself under it so that it would speak into any and every area of his life.
PRACTICAL WAYS TO ENGAGE GOD’S WORD
1. Find time – Daily devotions of 5-15 minutes even, unleash the reorienting-grace of God in our lives.
2. Find a plan – Know what you’re going to read each day. We make progress toward the destination of godliness when we have planned out a route to take in the Scriptures.
3. Find something to meditate on – Find one word, phrase, or verse and think deeply about it for a few moments before moving on or bringing your daily devotion to a close. Meditation on Scripture is placing a bag of tea (which is God’s word) in the hot water (that is your mind). The longer you leave the bag in there, the more the tea colors the water and flavors it as the process of steeping continues.
4. Expect God to work through his word – “Open the Book expectantly. Anticipate the discovery of a practical response to the truth of God. It makes a big difference to come to the Bible with the faith that you will find an application for it as opposed to believing that you won’t” (Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life).
FOR FURTHER READING ON THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF SCRIPTURE INTAKE SEE DONALD WHITNEY’S SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE OR DAVID MATHIS’ HABITS OF GRACE