Rumination Journal

Then David the king went in, and sat before the LORD; and he said, “Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?” ––2 Samuel 7:18 In the above verse, the word sat comes from the Hebrew verb transliterated as yashab . In most of the Old Testament, the word means to dwell, settle, inhabit, live, and other variations. In other places, it means to stay, abide, remain, wait, spend. And in still other places, it means to sit. In our busy world, we find it hard to sit still for any length of time. Some suggest we have lost the art of solitude and contemplation. King David was busy. Yet he still made time to regularly sit in God's presence. You can see it in the psalms he wrote. They are of worship and prayer. They are rich and weighty and have the touch of the eternal. They are the product of wonder and musing. In the seventh chapter of the Second Book of Samuel, we read that David wanted to build God a house—a temple. But God had other plans. I...

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” — 1 Peter 2:21-22 The hurricanes of 2017 in my home state of Florida caused me to think about priorities. Many of the things we have and do seem to fade away when placed in the proper perspective, and rightly so. As German writer and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” But what are the priorities for the Christians? The answer might be found in the example left for us by Jesus Christ. Jesus sought the Father Jesus demonstrated intimacy with God by seeking him continually in prayer. Forty-five times the gospels tell us that Jesus went alone to pray. Every aspect of his life and ministry was saturated with prayer. Jesus embraced the outcasts Jesus demonstrated the love of God by accepting the castaways o...

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose confidence is in the LORD. For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit.” ––Jeremiah 17:7-8 The Bible reminds us that God is present in times of drought and in times of plenty (2 Kings 3:17; Psalms 107:35; Isaiah 45:8; Jeremiah 17:7-8; John 7:37-38). But are you currently sensing God’s presence? Do you feel God’s voice is silent during a difficult time? You could be experiencing what is sometimes described as a “spiritual dry spell.” Here are some practical tips to help end your dry spell and allow God’s living springs to flow. Confess your sins (1 John 1:9) . Make sure you are doing nothing to block God’s voice. You may have allowed “little” daily sins (like gossip, envy, lack of charity, or pride) to creep into your life. Make a serio...

Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the LORD’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.  —Psalm 1:1-2 Scripture meditation is a living, growing relationship with your Heavenly Father through the transforming power of His Word, the Holy Bible. Scripture meditation is not an intellectual study, but rather a spiritual exercise. How can you meditate on Scripture? Here are some suggestions. Read the Bible. Reading a passage of Scripture can have a cleansing effect on your mind, will, and emotions. As Jesus told His disciples… “You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”  —John 15:3 Reading Scripture can build personal faith. So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  —Romans 10:17 Reading Scripture fulfills God’s instruction to believers. As the Apostle Paul admonished Timothy… Until ...

“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” ––Matthew 6:16-18 Technical definitions aside, religious fasting is, at its heart, the act of denying something your body enjoys in order to concentrate on something your spirit needs, like a deeper relationship with God. What could you do during a fast? You might read your Bible. You could pray. You might even spend time with your family. Of course, you might be doing all these already, and that's great. But if you are having difficulty finding the time, or if you want to do more than you are now, you might consider a fast. What would you fast? Well, that depends on what y...

How I love your law! It is my meditation all day.  —Psalm 119:97 In 2008, the UK financial firm Lloyds TSB released the results of a study on attention spans. The results showed that the average attention span had reduced over the previous decade. Around 1998, the average attention span was twelve minutes in length. The 2008 study indicated it had been reduced to just five minutes. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 25% said they regularly forgot the names of close friends or relatives, and 7% even admitted to momentarily forgetting their own birthdays. Pots and pans were forgotten on the stove. An estimated £1.6 billion (approximately $2.67 billion) of damage was caused by lack of concentration. But those over age 50 were able to concentrate for longer periods than younger people. This suggested that busy lifestyles and modern technology, rather than old age, were to blame for mental decline. The fact that this study is over ten years old (as of this writing) suggests that t...

He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.” —Luke 11:5-10 What is intercessory prayer? Simply put, to intercede is to stand between. That is the core of intercessory prayer. Those who intercede put themselves between God and the person or thing for which they are praying. Why do w...