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Meditation and Understanding

Have you ever read the Bible in the morning and were unable to remember what you read later in the day? I suspect we have all experienced this. In fact, sometimes we read the Bible and just a few minutes later we cannot remember what we read!

Christians must understand that our primary objective is not reading the Bible. Reading is necessary, but it is not the ultimate goal. Those who live as though reading the Bible satisfies their spiritual responsibility could find themselves greatly shocked when they stand before the Lord (Matthew 7:21-23).

The psalmist links three biblical truths that are essential to every Christian.

Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders.
Psalm 119:27

First of all, we have to know the precepts of God. But just knowing them is not sufficient. Our Lord is clear that knowing His word and not acting on it will result in condemnation (Matthew 7:24-27).

The psalmist recognizes that he desperately needs God to make him understand the way of God’s precepts. Now we are going beyond mere knowledge to practice. When we understand and walk in the way of God we are demonstrating biblical faith.

Next the psalmist links meditation with this entire process. Keep in mind that meditation is the intentional discipline of God’s children to carefully contemplate the truth of God’s word, seeking wisdom and understanding, with the ultimate goal of walking in a manner that pleases God. Meditation takes us beyond reading God’s word to actually engaging with it in the most practical of ways. A failure to meditate is ultimately a failure to obey.

This process is a cyclical process. We seek to grow in our knowledge of God’s word. We meditate on it and pray that God will grant us understanding so that we can walk in obedience to it. As He grants us understanding, we live in obedience, continuing to learn and meditate and pray that God will continue to grant understanding.

I cannot emphasize enough the value and responsibility believers have to meditate on God’s word. I would go so far as to say that it is impossible for Christians to live in consistent obedience to the Lord apart from biblical meditation. Make sure you take this biblical responsibility very seriously.

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Rocky Wyatt

Rocky Wyatt came to know the Lord as a young teenager and began working in youth ministry when in college. After serving in churches in Utah, California and Colorado, Rocky moved to Texas to serve as Youth Pastor at Countryside Bible Church. He served there for 26 years where he eventually moved from youth ministry to serve as an Associate Pastor.

Over the course of his ministry, Rocky has always had a desire to train men for pastoral ministry in the context of the local church. In 1992 he started XL Ministries, an organization that is committed to helping churches establish intensive internships for pastoral training. In 2020 he left his position at Countryside Bible Church to become the Executive Director of XL Ministries and now works full time assisting churches in training men for ministry.

He is co-author of The Youth Ministry Training Manual, a textbook for training youth pastors, and has also written multiple other resources for use in various local church ministries. He is currently working on a book to encourage churches to take the primary responsibility to train pastors.

Rocky is married to Pamela, has two sons and daughters-in-law, and ten grandchildren. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58