Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success.
In the first chapter of the Book of Joshua, Joshua commands the Israelites to meditate on God’s Word and His commands and to apply it in their lives. Joshua himself applied it to his own life, as he was commanded to take over the leadership of the Israelite nation from Moses and complete the work of conquering the land of Canaan, so that God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will be finally fulfilled.
Joshua lives a life of obedience to God and what he accomplished was not only freedom and the possession of land for Israel, but also fame and renown that spans human history. Today, Joshua is considered one of the greatest and most successful generals throughout human humanity, and ranked among such military leaders as Alexander, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon.
Joshua calls us to meditate consistently on God’s Word, in order that we may be careful to apply them in our life. The word “meditate” in verse 8, comes from the Greek word “hagah.” This word is defined as, “to moan, growl, utter, speak, muse. The word “meditate” can also be understood as being “absorbed in thought; especially: to think about something carefully and thoroughly. From these definitions, we realize that God wants us to deeply and intentionally study His teachings and commands to the point that we subconsciously and automatically apply them to our thoughts, our words, and our actions. And what’s the payoff?
Joshua’s life is testament to God’s faithfulness to His promises. Joshua was rewarded with success, power, and fame, all because he obeyed God. In Romans 8:28, Paul says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We study God’s Word because we love Him and want to know more about Him and His purpose for us. Studying God’s Word helps us discover how we are called according to His divine purpose. When we are able to discover this, we have the confidence that all things shall work together for our God, because God said so.
This was my first life verse and it is instructive that the verse I chose to guide my life is a command for me to immerse myself in bible study. Today, this is what I do - preparing and leading people to study the Bible and to apply God’s Word to daily living, I now realize that God had revealed to me His divine purpose. And I can honestly claim that I am content with my lot. I am not worried about financial and material matters. As far as I am concerned, I consider myself to be prosperous and successful in my service to the Lord. I encourage everyone to meditate daily on the Word of God and to apply the truth of God in daily life. Do this and expect to come into communion with the Lord when He reveals to you His divine will. And expect to be rewarded with the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
