Prayer Tip--Driver’s Ed and the Owner’s Manual

“Meditate.” What did the direction for Joshua (and us) mean when it said to “meditate on it (this book of the law) day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it”? How am I supposed to do that? I have things to do! When we see the word “meditate,” we tend to think of someone sitting cross-legged on the floor humming or examining a blade of grass and then writing a 10-stanza poem about what they see.

BillyGraham.org puts it this way: “When we meditate on the Word of God, we seek to make personal application of the Scriptures to our own lives and circumstances. This results in more than the intake of information; it transforms by leading to the formation of the individual into Christlikeness.”

OK, but where do we start? One way is in front of you right now–the daily Grow, Pray, Study guide. When something in the  daily Scripture reading jumps out at you, or sticks with you long after you’ve put the GPS away and moved on with your day, that’s likely to be the word God wants you to make a part of your life. Mark it, write it down in your planner, put it in your phone, whatever works for you to save it. Set a time at the end of your day and in the days to come to examine how God is using this to transform you to be more like Christ.

Prepare a bit before you get started. Don’t get too comfortable. Have paper and pen available, and your Bible open to the Scripture you are drawn to. Remove yourself from distractions, as much as is possible. If you are having trouble quieting your mind, try focusing on one thing for a few minutes. Simply sitting still and concentrating on each breath, in and out, can help you focus and drive away the chatter in your head. Clear the clutter, and when you feel ready, move on.

Ask God to be with you while you meditate on this Holy Word. Read it through several times. Reading out loud is a good way to prevent distraction.

What does this passage say about God and your life? Is there a word, or just a few words, that jump out at you? Why do you think God is focusing you on those words right at this moment? Are you called to action? What is that action? How does it guide you to “be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it”? How does this word make you feel? Happy, excited, confused, uncomfortable? Why? Do you need to talk to someone about how you feel? Write down your questions and concerns and go to https://resurrection.church/care/ to connect with a pastor.

When you are ready to end this time, thank God for what you have learned, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you carry this word with you as you move back into your life. When it comes to mind, pause for a moment and think about why it has come to mind at this particular time. How does this moment reflect what you have learned? How is God speaking to you in light of this Scripture? Be thankful and joyful when God’s word appears in your thoughts as you move through your day. What a gift! Later on, as you end the day, spend some time reflecting on what you have learned and what you may still need to do to act in accordance with God’s will.