contemplate Archives – Sonshine's Journal

Matthew 1 How would you respond if you had heard the news of your fiancee’s pregnancy and you knew it was not from you? Joseph was obviously very distressed as he was a man of integrity. Matthew records these words about him: “a righteous man,..he did not want to disgrace her,” He took these words to heart but did not act unrighteously as that would be against his character. We can learn much from Joseph, just as his namesake in the book of Genesis. Both men reveal that time spent pondering leads to righteous decision-making, and Joseph did just that. Matthew records that he contemplated what to do so as not to disgrace Mary. Do we model our thinking and actions after Joseph? Do we take time to stop and consider the other person, or do we hastily decide? Joseph did the right thing. It was during his time of contemplation that God spoke to him about how to respond righteously and the understanding he should take. It was after that, and only after that, Joseph took Mary as his betrothed to be his wife.

I cannot imagine being in the position of either Mary or Joseph. God’s ways are not our ways, so says Isaiah. [Is 55:8-9] Take time today to consider and to contemplate your decisions.

Are you a persistent prayer warrior? These three psalms give us a clue as to what that entails. Persistent prayer begins in the wee hours of the morning. King David began each morning this way and ended it as well. ““In the morning.” This is the fittest time for intercourse with God. An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. While the dew is on the grass, let grace drop upon the soul. Let us give to God the mornings of our days and the morning of our lives. Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night. Devotion should be both the morning star and the evening star.” [Spurgeon]

Persistent prayer closes our day and offers a time to reflect, a time to meditate, a time to contemplate as we close our eyelids. This child’s prayer is as simple as it gets:

“Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

If I shall die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.”

There is comfort in that prayer and perhaps that is why children like King David can say: 3:5 “I rested and slept; I awoke, for the Lord protects me.” 4:8 “I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, Lord, make me safe and secure.”

We could change some of this to a simple prayer to begin our day taking ideas from these psalms and psalm 1:

Now Lord I am awake!

I pray that my righteousness I will not forsake,

Guide me step by step to glorify You,

In all I say and in all I do. Amen

Are you awake and refreshed? Have you spent time with God this morning? If not, consider that as a beginning to your new year’s goals.

Tag: contemplate

Decisions, Decisions

Lord I am Awake!