Topic: YOUR TESTIMONIES ARE MY MEDITATION
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:49-104; 1 Corinthians 4.
Memory Verse: “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Psalm 119:99 (KJV)
Meditation is close or continued thought, the turning or revolving of a subject in the mind; serious contemplation. When you keep thinking of a subject in order to gain further insights or deeper understanding of that subject. Whatsoever you focus your thought on will be magnified in your mind. Thus, when you focus on the challenges you face, you will magnify it in your mind and it begins to give you worries as various implications or consequences of the challenge will occupy your mind.
However if you choose to focus on the testimonies of God as shown in the Bible and in your life and lives of those around you, you begin to see the mightiness of God and that will show you that the challenge you may be facing is small compared with the power of the Almighty God.
Looking at the life of David, when he got to the war front where Goliath was terrorizing the Israelites army with his stature and utterance, he chose not to focus on the problem, Goliath but to meditate on the testimonies of God in his life. He recalled how he killed a roaring lion and a bear all alone and recognised that the same source of that power was still available and this made Goliath so small in his sight! On the other hand, the Israelites army focused on Goliath and he was so magnified in their mind that none of them could face him! They actually fled from him and were very afraid. (1 Samuel 17:24). David’s immediate response came from his testimonies of God and he did not think of defeat rather victory! He said in 1 Samuel 17:26 (KJV), “And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” All discouragement by his brother, Eliab and even king Saul did not dissuade him because God is magnified in his mind! Rather, he recounted God’s testimony in his life and asserted that the same God that did it then will do it again! ( 1 Samuel 17:36-37). And God truly delivered Goliath to his hands because he did not look at his own strength but the power of God Almighty.
What challenges are you facing now? Take your focus off it and meditate on the testimonies of God in the Bible and those you can remember in your life. Keep turning them over in your mind and after a while, God will build you up so much that you begin to see that the challenge is not as tough. As you continue in your meditation, God will reveal to you the solution to that challenge. You will then see that you have gained significant insights. This is why the Psalmist said in Psalm 119:99 (KJV), “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” However while you are meditating on God’s testimonies, continue to be diligent and you will see that he that is with you is more than he that is in the world! ( 1 John 4:4).
Action point: Meditate on God’s testimonies for about 30 minutes in a quiet place and begin to experience greater insights from God.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero