Meditate On These Things


Read: Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things."

I want to focus on true things: playing with my daughter, going for a run just to hear the LORD, the possibility of starting a new season in my life, hopes to move soon and return to school, the dream of teaching, the memory of last moments with close friends, the thrill of new discoveries, the knowledge that I am not alone in my convictions, the fact that I have food and a home, a glimpse of my beautiful nieces via webcam, godly men who will encourage and pray for me, a deepening walk with the Lord.

I want to focus on the true things, but the world is so loud and so desperate to shout out the true with the false, the bad, the compromised, the fallen, the sensational, and the evil. Movies, television, checkout lines...

Read: 1 Peter 5:6-9

The Maasai in Africa know how to handle lions. In their traditional culture, part of becoming a man / a warrior includes participating in a lion hunt... We need that same warrior mentality when facing the enemy who "prowls around like a roaring lion". We also need that sense of community.
 
Sometimes I have to press back in, back into truth. I have to focus on the Lord, push out the noise of life and remember what is really true, what really matters. I must Unplug and Reconnect. And, when I press in and He is right there waiting, whispering, reminding.

John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Even now, I remember more and more true things: I have been blessed. I am healthy. I have a daughter who loves me and a wife who loves the LORD. I have had wonderful opportunities and experiences: I've wandered the streets of London with a Scottish truck driver who borrowed 20 pounds from me to by a drink and never came out of the bar, visited a Turkish Bath (in Turkey!), played with orphans in Mexico, seen Broadway musicals, been able to preach the Gospel, and walked among a tribal people for 2 years to share Jesus with them. I've been to Israel 4 different times!

And still, the true things keep coming: I’ve known people who are living miracles. I have children waiting for me in heaven with my Savior. I have been forgiven (a lot!). I have been adopted. I've been chosen. I have a calling. The God of the Universe has a plan for my life. Jesus loves me.

I praise God for reminding me of these true things today. Now that I'm focused on them, it's amazing that I haven't been blown away by them more often than I have. I haven't meditated on them as they deserve. Sometimes I hardly even remember some of them. I've lost focus too often.

The world doesn't want me to see, to hear, to meditate on what is true. It’s so easy to get distracted by survival and forget that Jesus calls us to LIFE (the disciples) and to PURPOSE (apostles, etc.). Even you! What’s He called YOU to? To do? To dream? To be? To become?...

You are who you are right now! Not who you would like to be someday. Attend to yourself today. What you read, what you look at, what you listen to, the people you associate with, what you think about...

The Prince of this world knows there is a reason God calls us to focus on what is true, it gives us victory over him. He knows our encouragement re-presents and re-creates his defeat on the cross and in eternity. So, he shouts, whispers, distracts, confuses, and lies...

As a result, sometimes it is hard to meditate on the truth. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember what is true, much less focus on it. When that happens, remember that Jesus said, "I am the way, the life, and the TRUTH." (cf. John 14:6) When everything else is blurry, meditateon Jesus.

Meditate: train your mind, purposeful contemplation or reflection, focus your thoughts, ponder, pursue more deeply, mentally chewing the cud, “to engage in mental exercise for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness.”

Passages about meditation: Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-6; Proverb 4:20-22; Psalm 119:9-11

Passages to meditate upon: Psalm 19:14; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 46:10; Philippians 4:13; Luke 6:45; Proverb 4:23; Proverb 27:19; 1 Timothy 4:13-15
 
There are also numerous stories worth meditating on: Mephibosheth, The "Prodigal Son", even David and Bathsheba!

Note: Not all types of meditation are ok for followers of Jesus!

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

(author unknown)



 
Philippians 4:8 “true” = all the other adjectives in the passage—meditate on these things...

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