Introduction
During this unusual time of crisis when in the next few weeks we will be faced with lock-down and we will be living in close quarters with each other, there will be a lot more stress and pressure on relationships. This might result in some conflict with our loved ones and even saying some things that we might regret later. The advice being given by the experts is that we must keep a routine whether it is in homeschooling the kids or simply getting dressed instead of lounging around in your pyjamas because you are at home.
The tongue problem
For us, as Christians, we need to be always working on the tongue problem: saying things in the heat of the moment that we might regret later. The tongue causes us all sorts of problems and the man who can learn to control his tongue is a perfect and complete man. But really the tongue is just symptomatic of a much deeper problem. The Bible says that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks and that death and life are in the power of the tongue. So either good or evil comes out of the heart and manifests itself into words that come off of our tongue. So if the problem is the heart what is a man to do about the heart because the heart is hard to understand and fathom and really is wicked. That is the old heart or the old flesh. But we also have a new heart when coming to Christ. So to be able to mature and to let the new nature have its way we need to learn how to let the new nature win and gain control. Then we might just see some victory.
Meditating on the Word of God
The Bible, especially in the Psalms and the book of Proverbs, talks quite extensively about meditation. Meditation in a way is heart therapy and a deliberate or mindful thinking on the Word of God. Meditation on the Word I think in this fast pace moving world is almost anathema to many modern day Christians. So I believe we should meditate a lot more than what we do if in fact we do it at all. The average person might arguably only spend minutes per day meditating or reading the Word of God without real meditation. Meditation takes time and implies a poring over the Words of God to let it seep into one’s soul and understanding. And at this time when we do have a bit more time because of the lock-down, meditation might become a part of your daily routine.
It has been found that there are at least five reasons in the Bible why we should meditate or take that little bit longer than a five minute devotion…
- We should meditate on the Word because it helps us to focus. “I meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”1
- We should meditate on the Word because it helps us to understand. “Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.”2
- We should meditate on the Word because it helps us to remember what God has done. “I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”3
- We should meditate on the Word because it helps us to be holy. “…does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…on his law he meditates day and night.”4
- We should meditate on the Word because it helps us to have victory. “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”5
Final thoughts
So meditation helps to bring about the kind of life that we desire in Christ in these end days and it is essentially ‘heart therapy’. As we apply this ‘heart therapy’ more and more, the tongue will take care of itself which in turn will lead to harmony in our relationships. Meditation on the Word is a lost art and we need to breathe and meditate and get outside and have some long walks and take advantage of the extra time that most of us will have with each other during this virus crisis.
