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One generation shall commend Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of Your awesome deeds, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of Your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. (Psalm 145:4-7)
Meditation was once regarded as the special task of spiritually minded people, perhaps monks and nuns or spiritual leaders in various world religions. Now meditation has become a popular practice, even among those who have no interest in religion. Meditation programs are available for us on smartphones, providing music, sounds of nature, or self-help suggestions to contemplate. Many of us meditate even without helpful programs, but we spend a lot of time, including sleepless nights, meditating on all the wrong things. We dwell on our fears and worries, on health concerns, or finances and family problems. We do not require the help of a special meditation program for that kind of thinking.
The psalmist meditates on all the right things. He spends time thinking about the glorious splendor of God’s majesty and on the wondrous works of the Lord. Meditation leads him to remember all that God has done to help and save His people. The psalmist thinks about the glory and splendor of the Creator and the wonders of the world He made. But the psalmist is not meditating merely to benefit his own personal spiritual growth. He has a greater purpose. A more important goal arises out of his contemplation of God’s majesty: “I will declare Your greatness!”
Meditation on God’s majesty and on the Lord’s saving work leads the psalmist to take action. His meditation complete, he declares to others all that God has done. The people of God meditate on their Lord’s saving work and then declare the good news of that salvation to others. Generation after generation, the Gospel is proclaimed in the world. That is the end result of our meditation. Such contemplation will certainly help us to grow in grace and faith, but dwelling on the Word of God does not merely encourage personal and private spiritual health.
Meditation leads to proclamation. We remember the awesome deeds and greatness of the Lord and then we share with others what God has done for them and for us all. During meditation we remember His wondrous saving work in the suffering and death of Jesus our Lord. We contemplate our Savior’s glorious resurrection and the abundant goodness of God’s grace and forgiveness. We grow in faith as we meditate on these precious gifts of God and then we proclaim that good news to the world. We remember the splendor of God’s love and majesty and then, generation to generation, parents to children, friend to friend, and neighbor to neighbor, we declare the works of the Lord!
WE PRAY: Lord, lead me to grow in faith as I meditate on Your majesty so that I will then declare Your saving works to others. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
- Do you have an ancestor (or more) who has done a pretty notable thing?
- What examples can you give of an earlier generation commending or sharing God’s works with your generation?
- Why is meditating on the things that God has done a good practice for our lives now ?
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