Minute Meditations

Paul wrote the Thessalonians telling them to study to be quiet. We wonder if his words are not even more important to us living in the twentieth century than to those living in the first century. At least, they did not have radio, television and juke boxes to fill the air with noise. Surely life must have had more quiet moments then than it does now. If they needed to study to be quiet, we certainly should take a post graduate course.

We have recorded for our learning the good habits of the faithful of past generations and we find that Isaac ”went out to meditate in the field at the eventide” while David spent many nights in quiet contemplation for he tells us ”my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches.” Our Lord ”went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God.” On another occasion Jesus rose up early in the morning, a great while before day, and ”he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

In the busy world in which we live there seem too few moments when we are all alone with our thoughts. We usually live and work with others and all too often even the time spent going to and from work is on public transportation or in a car filled with the endless chatter of other passengers or the radio disc jockeys. We need to ”lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” Isaiah tells us that ”The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”

Let us study to be quiet. Let us endeavor to set aside time to meditate upon the things of the spirit, Whether we choose to rise early in the morning as Christ did or walk in the field at eventime like Isaac or meditate in the night watches like David, let us be sure that we find time to draw near to God in prayer. We need to physically withdraw from the hustle and bustle of the world and quietly contemplate the goodness and mercy of God.

It is in such moments as these that our spiritual man is revitalized and given the strength to withstand the pressures of life. Our soul shall be restored, God will lead us in the paths of righteousness, goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life and the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart will be acceptable in the sight of our Lord who is our strength and our redeemer.