Keep Meditating on Spiritual Things

WHY IS MEDITATION SO IMPORTANT?

Meditating on spiritual things will help a person grow to Christian maturity.  (Hebrews  5:14; 6:1)  A person who spends little time thinking about Jehovah and Jesus will not maintain strong faith.  Such a person is in danger of drifting away or drawing away from the truth. (Hebrews 2:1; 3:12)  Jesus warned that if we do not hear, or accept God's Word "with a fine and good heart,"  we will not "retain" it.  Instead, we could easily be "carried away by anxieties, riches, and pleasures of this life, .  . .and bring nothing to maturity" -Luke 8:14, 15. 

Therefore, let us continue to ponder over God's Word. This is motivate us to reflect Jehovah's glory, qualities,  and personality as revealed in the Bible.  (2 Corinthians 3:18) What more could we ask for?  Growing in the knowledge of God and being allowed to reflect his glory are wonderful privileges, a never-ending process as we continue to learn how to imitate our heavenly Father. -Ecclesiastes 3:11. 

By continuing to ponder over spiritual things, we will maintain  our enthusiasm for the truth. Thus we will be a source of refreshment to our brothers and to the interested ones we meet in the field service.  Meditating deeply on God's greatest gift, the ransom sacrifice  of Jesus,  will help us to cherish the privilege of having a close relationship with our Holy Father, Jehovah.  (Romans 3:24; James 4:8) Mark,  a South African who spent three years in prison because of his Christian neutrality, said:  "Meditating can be compared to an exciting adventure. The more we meditate on spiritual things, the  more we discover new things about our God, Jehovah. At times when I'm feeling a little discouraged or anxious about the future, I pick up the Bible and meditate on a passage of Scripture. I feel that it really calms me down." 

True, life in today's world is so full of distractions that it sometimes very difficult to meditate on spiritual things. Another faithful African brother, name Patrick, admits:  "My mind is like a mailbox filled with a variety of information, both wanted and unwanted, that needs to be sorted every day. As I search the contents of my mind, I often find 'disquieting thoughts,' and I have to pray to Jehovah  about them before I can meditate with a clear mind. Although doing this might take a little time before I can start on spiritual subjects, I feel closer to Jehovah.  This opens  my mind to understanding the truth better." (Psalm 94:19)  Indeed, wonderful benefits come to all who are "examining the Scriptures daily" and meditating on what they learn. -Acts 17:11. 

Next time: Keep Meditating on Scriptural Things -HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME? 

From The Watchtower magazine