Meditation

Oh Oh ... some might say! What is she going to talk about? Meditation? That hokey-pokey stuff?
No! Not that hokey-pokey stuff!

Joshua's instructions to the Israelites ...
Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
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.

David's words to God in Psalm 119...
Psalm 119: 97
Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.

Meditation is the spiritual discipline of focusing the mind on God's Word; pondering it, memorizing it, turning it over in our hearts, letting the words sink deep into the heart and soul of us; thus quickening us with Life! The goal of Christian Meditation is to fill the mind with Scripture - as we do this we become less and He becomes more! Our thoughts become His thoughts; our values, His values.

Again David said
Pslam 119:15-16
I meditate on your precepts, and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

I'm sure you have marinated a steak to prepare it for grilling. The meat sits in the marinade and soaks up the herbs and fluid; and becomes soft and tender. So it is when we marinate our minds with the Word of God!
His Word softens and tenderizes even the hardest of hearts!

Dear Ones
I pray you are spending time Marinating in His Word; Meditating on His Truths; Listening for His Voice.
Blessings on you, this day, the one He has made!

Resting in HIM,
Ruthie

You've Got Mail!!!!!

It's everywhere.... and I've bought into it! Have you?
E-mail; FaceBook; Texting; Twittering (I don't do this one); Blackberry; iPhone...
And on and on it goes!

Since getting my BlackBerry I have become aware of every time I get an email or a post on FB...
Along with all the "external" messages we get there is that INTERNAL stuff! The messages we tell ourselves - in our minds - daily.

Lately I've been thinking about all this in relation to the mail - the letters - HIS Written Word .... to me - to us! I don't get an electronic "ping" everytime HE sends me a note... IT IS ALWAYS THERE - for me to go to. What a BLESSING that is to me! Just KNOWING that - BUT - How much more of a BLESSING it is everytime I STOP, READ, MEDITATE, LISTEN to HIS mail! His Word!

He not only speaks thru HIS Word; He speaks thru HIS People; HE speaks HIMSELF! Into our hearts and our spirits!
Psalm 27: 8 ... My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."

Dear Ones,
Set the FB, BB, iPhone, Laptop, and all that stuff - set it aside for a while today. Listen for HIS voice, HIS whisper into your heart. Contemplate HIS goodness and Who He Is! Allow HIS Word to penetrate your spirit; to bring you Life!

This is my prayer for myself and for each of you as I REST in HIS Awesomeness and Peace!
Blessings,
Ruthie

Pouring out my HEART today ...

I will TRUST in the Lord when all else seems to be falling apart.
I will SEEK HIS face even though I may be seeking thru a cloud of dismay.
I will DELIGHT in HIS Word and HIS Ways!

I will CHOOSE to believe that He is Good; He is Faithful; He is Merciful; and He is Just!
I will KNOW that He is all I need!

I will PRAY as He has asked me to - told me to!
I will PRAISE and give Him glory!

I WILL - COUNT IT ALL JOY!

Father God,

I don't understand - I don't know why things happen as they do... why people get sick and die;
why there are accidents that take our loved ones away from us; why people lie and cheat and steal... My heart is heavy with the cares of this world -

BUT - I will CHOOSE to sing - along with David:

"YOU are my portion, O Lord. Open my eyes that I might see YOUR wonder. YOU are my refuge and my shield - my HOPE is in YOU. The wicked have set a snare for me and my loved one, but we will not stray from YOUR precepts... YOU are GOOD, and what YOU do is GOOD.
Uphold us , Lord...
Deliver us....
Trouble and distress have come upon us, but YOUR commands are our delight!"

And I pray we can say with authenticity - "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn YOUR decrees."

Lord, You are the Master of ALL! I give YOU my PRAISE today! Teach me, Lord, Teach us! I am YOUR Servant, O God!
In the powerful Name of Jesus,
AMEN