Meditation by Michael Podhaczky

 

The Psalmist in Psalm One has said that there is one who is blessed. This one,

“does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers (Ps. 1:1 NASB). Instead they,

“In His Law, they meditate day and night” (Ps 1:2 NASB).

While there are several words used within the Bible, we will focus on the one used here in this Psalm. It is the Hebrew word, hagah, and it has various nuanced meanings. It is used some 24 times within the Old Testament. Consider some examples below

• To murmur, groan, mutter, or chatter: Josh 1:8; Job 27:4; Ps 1:2; 63:6; 77:12; 143:5; Is 33:18
• To ponder, to talk with oneself aloud, complain: Ps 119:15,23,48,78,148
• Muse thoughtfully: Gen 24:63

So, we can see that it is not just an emptying of one’s mind, but a filling of it with God’s Word. The Psalmist was murmuring, muttering and intentional and focused as he reflected on the Word of the Lord. The psalmist mind was filled with God’s Word. This is an active practice that I have nicknamed it ‘cow theology.’ That is, like the ruminating of a cow, we feed on His Word and gulp it down, only to bring it back up and mutter or chatter it to the Lord and ourselves. Then, swallow it and bring it back up and mutter or chatter it again, repeating the practice until we have gotten all that He wants us to get from His Word at present.

So, how is your cow theology during this season of ample time? Are you like the Psalmist, ‘in His Word’, meditating day and night? We need to chew it over and over until we have gotten all the Lord wants us to get from His word at this time?

Pause in His presence for a moment and think this over…