Receive the Word (3)

Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” Exodus 3.3

Keep looking
The place to begin in letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly is in daily reading of all the Word of God. Job declared that the words of God’s mouth were more important to him than his necessary food (Job 23.12). Since we can assume that Job ate daily, we may also safely assume that he spent daily time in God’s Word, however much of it he may have possessed. Jeremiah also delighted to feed on the words of the Lord each day (Jer. 15.16). Peter counseled his readers to hunger for the Word like newborn babes, eager to be fed (1 Pet. 2.1-3). Anyone who has had children knows how much time they spend feeding. So should we feed daily on the Word of God.

Once we’ve begun to establish this discipline of reading the Word of God each day, we’ll be ready to work a bit more on some of the ways of reading Scripture right which we mentioned. Among these, reading reflectively – or meditating on the Word – is surely an important discipline to master. As we meditate on Scripture, we slow down and look deep into the Word, so that all the ways of right reading can get traction.

The encounter between God and Moses can provide an outline for us to think about what meditating in God’s Word requires. In this story from Exodus 3, Moses, looking upon the revelation of God, is drawn more deeply into communion with the Lord, where he discovers more of God’s good and perfect will for his life. Let’s take a closer look, and see what we can learn from this encounter about meditating in the Word of God.

Turn aside and draw near
First, we must be willing, like Moses, to turn aside from our normal occupations and preoccupations so that we can draw near and examine closely the Word of God (v. 3). This takes time, and we must be willing to make the time necessary for exploring the Word of God deeply.

As we are reading the Word, we may find that our mind is drawn to all the other things before us that day. We may still be reading, but our thoughts are focused more on work, chores, errands, and so forth. We will not be able to invest time in meditation unless we put these matters on the back burner and take up the task of drawing nearer and nearer to God in His Word.

We have to turn aside from our normal path and draw nearer to God in His Word. The time we take for this will be richly repaid once we resume our daily race.

Engage in a dialog
When Moses made that commitment to draw near, God saw it, and God responded (v. 4). He initiated a word with Moses that drew him more deeply into communion with God, and they began a dialog concerning God’s plan for Israel and Moses’ place in it.

If we are faithful in devoting the time and effort to turn aside and draw near to the Lord in His Word, we can be sure that He will see those gestures of faith and respond to us in powerful ways. Now we need to look closely at the Word, and listen carefully for any prompts or cues from the Spirit. We must be ready to engage in a dialog with God, in which we ask questions – all kinds of questions – and listen carefully as the Lord responds.

We’ll want to introduce other Scriptures into the conversation, as we allow the Spirit to compare spiritual things from one section of the Word with spiritual things from another (1 Cor. 2.12, 13). Pay attention to cross references indicated in your Bible. Or ask the Lord to bring other passages to mind, which might shed light on the one you’re considering. We may even want to have something to write with, so that we can quickly jot down impressions and insights, or write out the questions we want to explore more fully.

Focus on the large narrative and promises of God
As we’re meditating, it’s a good idea to have before our minds the larger story of what the Bible is all about – God’s covenant, and His redemptive work in Jesus Christ – and to keep in mind the precious and very great promises that God has made to us His people (Ex. 3.7-9). God did not speak personally to Moses about his own life until He had first rehearsed to him His larger plan to bring the blessings of redemption and the promises of life to His chosen people.

Our meditation may become too narrowly focused unless we are always remembering the overarching narrative of Scripture and the precious and very great promises whereby God brings us to partake of His own nature and presence (2 Pet. 1.4). You might even use these ideas as an outline for the questions you want to ask or the notes you take.

Seek your place in that narrative
Finally, listen carefully for the Lord to speak to you about your place in that narrative, which of the promises He is holding out to you, what He is calling you to do for this day, based on this particular part of His Word.

Let your mind, heart, and conscience become fully engaged with God’s will, until you can embrace it gladly and eagerly, and go forth ready to serve the Lord. Think about the day of head – the people you’ll seek, work you’ll do, and places you’ll go. Wait on the Lord to show you how His goodness can come to light through you, following the teaching of His Word (Ps. 27.13, 14).

Take the time to meditate, so that your reading of God’s Word will plant it deeply in your soul, and bear lasting fruit in your everyday life.

For reflection
1.  What’s the difference between reading the Scriptures and meditating on the Scriptures?

2.  Why do we need some of each in our daily time in God’s Word?

3.  How can you begin to incorporate more meditation on Scripture into your daily reading of the Word?

Next steps – Transformation: How might you improve your daily meditation in God’s Word? Ask a friend or prayer partner for advice. Try keeping a journal during your times of meditation, and see if this helps you focus more intently on God’s word for you each day.

T. M. Moore

To learn more about understanding and using the Bible, enroll in the course, Introduction to Biblical Theology. It’s free and online, and you can study at your own pace or with friends. To learn more and to register, click here. This week’s study is Part 3 of a series on The Word of God, and is available as a free download by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.