8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua 1:8 (NASB)
To most believers the word “meditation” smacks of Eastern Mysticism or some sort of New Age mumbo jumbo. However, God calls for His people to not only pray and read His Word, but also to meditate on it day and night. There is the right way to do this, which is God’s way, as well as the wrong way, which is the way the false religions teach their adherents. Let’s look at God’s way.
The purpose of meditating on scripture is to soak our hearts in God’s Word. Why is this important? How do we normally expose our hearts to God’s Word? We read it and we hear it in sermons and from Bible teachers. We also expose our hearts to it when we apply it to our lives. The purpose of soaking our hearts in God’s Word is to write His wisdom there. Our pursuit of God’s wisdom is actually in response to the Lord’s drawing us to do so. When we obey His call to seek His wisdom, He does answer.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 (NASB)
When we cooperate with God in our sanctification, we are actually responding to His call for us to develop our personal holiness. Disciples who are committed to their personal holiness will have had their perception of God altered. The Spirit-led believer’s God is beyond comprehension in His holiness, power, justice, love, and grace. Because of this, they are also committed to living entirely for His glory. They know that they must decrease while the Lord increases. (John 3:23-36) This means that priorities are submitted to the will of God. They fast from the things their flesh demands while feasting on the glory of God. Worship of their Lord is on the top of their list of priorities. They understand that Jesus is coming back and they must be prepared.