Day and Night

“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 have success.”  Joshua 1:8

Joshua, now charged with leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land, received encouraging commands from the Lord so that he would be successful as the successor of Moses. Joshua knew, from Moses’ leadership, that leading the Israelites would be a challenge. Knowing this, the Lord assured Joshua that his success was contingent on whole-heartedly following the Lord. Joshua was to keep his heart, mind, and focus on the Lord regardless of what he would face. He was to remember that the Lord was with him and that the Lord would not fail or forsake him.
 
Joshua was to do all that the Lord commanded him. He was also to keep the law, speak the law, and think upon the law day and night. It was then that Joshua’s way would be made prosperous and he would have success. He was not to deviate or waver from full obedience to the Lord. Joshua was about to face battles and challenges that he never faced before. He’d seen Moses face challenges, but now as the leader, he would encounter battles of his own. In order to conquer and overcome the challenges ahead, he must obey the Lord and meditate on God’s word day and night.

Meditation involves thinking deeply, consistently, thoughtfully, and constantly on God’s word. As Joshua meditated on God’s word, he would grow in deeper fellowship with the Lord. Meditating on book of the law day and night would govern his thoughts and his thoughts would then govern his beliefs and his beliefs would govern his actions. Joshua’s heart, mind, thoughts, decisions, and speech were to be immersed in and with the word of God so much so that loving, following, and obeying the Lord would be a way of life for him. In turn, he would have success.
 
Everyday throughout the day we are bombarded with thoughts. If we focus on those thoughts, whether good or bad, we are meditating on them and choosing to give our attention to them. Like Joshua, we are to meditate on the Lord’s word day and night, obey the Lord, and speak His truth, so that it becomes a part of our lifestyle. As we renew our minds with the Lord’s word, we come to know the Lord better and we grow in our relationship with Him. It will affect our thoughts, our choices, our speech, our actions, and our behavior. The Lord considers a person successful because they are following Him. Having success is to love the Lord and to love what the Lord loves and to obey and follow Him. When we choose our own way and do not follow the Lord, we are unsuccessful. Begin today to be successful in God’s eyes. Make Him and His Word your first priority by mediating on His Word day and night so that you will have success.