Mensa Otabil - God's Word, Our Meditation and Words
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We’ve had an interesting study of God’s word from Psalm 19 this week, and I trust that it has been a blessing to you as we’ve explored the many facets of the word of God. We conclude with verse 14: «Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.» So we end our study of the word of God in Psalm 19 with two things that we must do with God’s word. The first is that we must meditate on the word of God: the meditations of my heart. To meditate means to think deeply about something. It is similar to how a cow chews the cud.
If you are familiar with it, cows are reputed to have two stomachs. One receives the grass they eat, and then it goes to a second chamber where they are able to chew on it again. They eat standing up, but they chew the cud lying down. That is how we address the word of God. We hear it; we read it the first time, and then we quietly think about it and meditate on it. Christian meditation is very different from other forms of meditation. Other people meditate by focusing on an object or projecting into an object; that’s not how Christians meditate. We meditate by taking the Scriptures, reading them, and thinking about them and what they mean to us, and what we should do with them. So, it’s a means by which we apply the word of God to our lives—not just read it but make it real to us. That is what meditation on the word means: we think about it deeply and we apply it to ourselves.
Not only are we supposed to meditate on the word of God, but we must also speak the word of God: «Let the words of my mouth.» So, we meditate, and then we speak the word of God. That means that if the word of God is going to be real in our lives, not only must it be in our heart, but it must also be in our mouth. In what we say, our conversations must be guided by the word of God. When we are talking with people, the words we say must line up with God’s word. In other words, you can use words and phrases in a conversation that truly dishonor God’s word, which is sinful.
So, the words of our mouth must be acceptable to God. When we pray, we are using words, and our prayers must line up with the word of God. God wants us to hide His word in our heart, and He also wants us to speak His word. It is by speaking the word of God that we see the word of God accomplish the purpose for which it was sent. That is why, by our word, mountains move. By our word, we gain victory. By our word, we rise; by our word, we overcome because God’s word in our mouth, which we speak, becomes the word of God out of our mouth.
The reason why the meditation of our heart and the word of our mouth works is because the psalmist says, «O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.» When we meditate on the word of God, we see Him as our strength; we see Him as a redeemer. Like David, you can face Goliath and overcome. Like the widow who was visited in a time of famine, you can be redeemed from famine and from disaster in this world. May the word of the Lord be your meditation; may it be the speaking of your mouth, and may the words out of your mouth establish the word of God in everything that you do. I trust you’ve been blessed by it, and I trust that God will use the word in your heart and in your mouth to accomplish great things for you. Let’s share a word of prayer together. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, you are my strength and my redeemer. Help me to meditate on your word and speak your word daily. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.» Well, I’m going to start a new study from tomorrow. Next week, I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.