![]() Let’s try another verse-one that is less familiar to many people, found in the book of the Jude, a brief letter that’s the second-to-last book in the New Testament. What can I pray in light of Psalm 23:1? Do I need to ask for help trusting the Lord more? Do I need to pray about some situation in which I need his shepherd-like care? Should I thank and praise him for his care in the past as well as the future? He cares for me and takes responsibility for guiding me, so I can rest in his care with confidence. I will not lack anything needed to follow him and do his will. What do these words of assurance mean? The Spirit might comfort my heart by reminding me that because the Lord who reigns over all is my shepherd, I can rest assured that he will provide everything I need in life. He watches over me with concern for my well-being. But God is not simply a shepherd he is “my shepherd.” That means he cares for me. Why has God chosen to reveal himself to his people as “shepherd”? This speaks to us of his care, guidance, and love. “Lord” reminds us of his great sovereignty, his authority, and his reign over all things. He is not one of many, but the only Lord and ruler over all. With a prayer for guidance from the Holy Spirit, we begin pondering this verse word by word. The twenty-third psalm is often recited in churches and read at funerals, but meditation may help us more fully grasp its truths. Let’s begin with a well-known verse that you may have heard many times. Do the words reveal something about God? About ourselves? How can we respond to or pray about what these words mean? As appropriate, pray as you ponder the words of this verse. Then slowly contemplate the verse word by word, thinking about each word and what it conveys about God, his plan, and his work in your life. It may be helpful to write the chosen verse on a 3″ x 5″ card or highlight it on your phone or electronic device.īegin by reading it over several times, trying to memorize it as best you can. Be sure you have read the surrounding verses so that you can understand the verse or phrase in its context. I guess sometimes less is more, even when it comes to reading the Bible!” Jim’s only question was whether he could practice meditation in the “right way.” I assured him that there was no standard technique for how to meditate on a Bible verse, but I thought that a few practical suggestions might be helpful when beginning this practice.īegin by selecting a verse or phrase of Scripture. “It’s not necessarily the amount of Scripture that you read, but the amount you process and apply. “I think I understand the concept,” Jim said. This is a mere sampling of the Scriptures on this vital subject, all testifying to the prophetic omniscience of the divine author of the Bible.After explaining the concept of biblical meditation to my friend, Jim, and pointing out some of the benefits, he seemed eager to add the practice to his daily devotional time. ![]() Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king and shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days ( Hosea 3:4,5). ∿or the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king. The Scriptures also predicted the long duration of their dispersion, as well as their eventual reestablishment as a nation, and ultimate return to the true God, their Creator and Savior. Lo the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations ( Numbers 23:9). ∺nd thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee ( Deuteronomy 28:37). This also was prophesied: My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations ( Hosea 9:17). No nation was ever scattered so widely as Israel, yet amazingly, they have remained a distinct people, even under great persecution, for over 3500 years. Our text was written through Moses almost four centuries before the great kingdom of Israel under David and Solomon was even established, and over 700 years before the beginning of the dispersion, but eventually it was fulfilled, literally and meticulously. One of the most convincing evidences of the inspiration of the Bible is found in the numerous prophecies of the dispersion of Gods chosen people, Israel, among all the nations of the world. ∺nd the LORD shall scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone ( Deuteronomy 28:64).
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