ADVENT TUESDAY DAY 3: MEDITATE

Our word for the third day of Advent is "meditate." 

Luke 2:¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

The word meditate is not found in the KJV version of Scripture but the word ponder is used.  It means the same thing.  To meditate is literally to "chew on."  It is synonomous with dwelling on, thinking on etc.  If you could have ask Mary at the end of that first day of the Saviors birth, "what is on your mind?," she would have replied, "all that has happened today, the shepherds, the words, the awesome something about this child God has given us.

Meditation, for many is a forgotten practice.  Our minds have information overload.  We are bombarded daily with words, information, and images from the television, internet, cell phones etc.  We often never take the time just to think on and dwell on one thing.

The Psalmist writes in song number 1

Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked,
who don’t go where sinners go,
who don’t do what evil people do.
² They love the Lord’s teachings,
and they think about those teachings day and night. (ncv)

The kjv uses the word meditate instead of think.  Happy are those, who meditate on God's word.  Happy means blessed. 

Paul tell us in Philippians 4:⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

He is saying let your mind think or meditate on the things that are positive and good.  At this season of the year, let us meditate on the meaning and the hope of Christ's coming.  Let us dwell more on the Christ of creation than the things He created.  Let us spend more time thinking of the gift of His Son, than the gifts we will give or receive.  It is the true way of happiness.
 

I will seek you in the morning

When the twilight wakes the sky

I will breakfast at your table

Morsels money could not buy

I will sip on Heaven’s water

As I contemplate the day

I will seek to walk beside you

And to hear the Words you say

I will seek to fill my calling

To a work ordained by one

In whose image I am made

And sets the path that I should run

There’ve been times the sky has darkened

By the clouds of stress and strain

But you fed my soul, dear Jesus

When I called upon your name

RFE   (1994)

HAPPINESS IS MEDITATING ON JESUS, JESUS, JESUS ...