Verse of the week - Joshua 1:8

Name it and claim it, or as my college professor called it, "blab it and grab it." A less than careful reading of Scripture might uncover this interpretation.


It came to mind as I considered Joshua 1:8, "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."


A lot of people like to focus on the end, "you will make your way prosperous" and "you will have success." God's methods for success, and in fact His very definition of success would probably surprise those who heedlessly extrapolate these phrases from their context.


I realized that I need to study God more. Really enroll as a student of His Word. When I take a class I pour over the material. I listen, take notes, read supplemental material, discuss what I am learning, and prepare tirelessly for the exams. I compromise my sleep, set other non-essentials aside. I make that class a priority!


God calls us to study His Word. Meditate on it day and night. Know it inside and out. Dig into the passages that trouble us. Ask questions, seek answers. Without that disciplined study of the Bible we cannot follow it.


After we learn it, we should carefully walk according to all we have learned. Promises follow such focused obedience. Success. Not according to the world's measure. Prosperity and success according to God's eyes.


Lately I have found myself measuring my success from an earthly perspective. Not according to wealth or possessions, but according to this earthly time. I keenly feel my age and realize that my "youth" is behind me. Although I am not "old" I still feel as though I have so much of my life behind me, and so much that I still wished to do with this earthly life. And, there, I realized my error. It's not about this earthly life. Even if I am mulling eternally significant tasks, it needs to revolve entirely around His agenda.


God has given me enough minutes in each day, enough years in my life to accomplish what He has designed for me to complete. When I live according to His schedule I will always have enough time, enough energy, enough success, enough accomplished, enough gained, enough saved, enough fulfilled.


Lord, help me to live by Your agenda this week, this year. Help me to be a student of You and Your Word that I may carefully walk according to Your design. Thank you that You are always enough. ~Amen

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~