Stinky Thinking and Holy Thinking

“I will think on Your Commandments and have respect to Your ways.” (Psalms 119:15)

David has been ascribed as the author of Psalms 119, but there is no evidence that he did. Some think that maybe Ezra or Nehemiah wrote it. Regardless, our Scripture makes a declaration of dedication of two things, to meditate or think on God’s commandments and to respect God’s ways.

Looking into, thinking and meditating on God’s precepts or commandments is vital to our walk with the Lord. The psalmist writes that meditating on God’s Law or God’s commandments will cause him to respect God’s ways. The word respect in the original Hebrew means to regard them with pleasure. The more we think on them, the more we understand God’s Goodness in His Law for us. In the next verse he writes how thinking on God’s Law and delighting in it results in him not forgetting God’s Word. “I will delight myself in Your Precepts; I will not forget Your Word.” (Psalms 119:16)

The psalmist who wrote Psalm 1 writes that the one who delights in God’s Law and meditates on it will prosper and be blessed. It’ll keep him from walking in the way of the world. It will keep him from standing with unbelievers and agreeing with them “Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is only in the Law of Jehovah; and in His Law he meditates day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivulets of water that brings forth its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf shall not wither, and all which he does shall be blessed.” (Psalms 1:1-3)

James writes that it keeps us on the right path. We will be doers of God’s Law “But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:25)

Meditation is an ancient practice. But what we meditate on is important. Is it just daydreaming and thinking of past incidents, words or actions? Our brain is constantly thinking. Thinking is the precursor to action. “... for as he thinks in his heart, so is he...” (Proverbs 23:7) What we think on is showing in our actions. We are to capture those thoughts that don’t line up with God’s Word. They are from the enemy and meant to destroy us. We are to pull them down from our mind and bring every one of our thoughts to obedience to Christ. “For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ;” (2Corinthians 10:4-5).

Paul encouraged the Romans to transform their minds. We can do that by reading God’s Word and thinking on it. It changes how we think about things. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) And he enumerates to the Philippians specifically what to think on. “Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8) That is the standard. There is the guide. Paul wrote it out for us. We don’t have to guess. We can place every thought against his list if we’re not sure.

In short, we need to be wary of our thoughts. Aimless thinking can bring us to a point of forgetting God’s Word, making it easy for the enemy to interject his evil in our minds and lead us astray. We have God’s Word and God’s standard that Paul gave us in Philippians to help us capture those thoughts and bring them down from our minds. We can judge them against God’s standard and replace them with the Word of God.

Let us pray,

Father God, it is Truth that Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It leads and guides me to righteous living. It shows me the way to live and how to live my life. Its promise to transform my mind is faithful. Thank You Lord that by the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, You have not left me wandering in the darkness about how to live a life pleasing to You. Thank You my Lord, that You have provided Your Word and Your Spirit to help me. Your wisdom and understanding are beyond and above all. You are worthy to be worshipped and adored. Your Goodness for me abounds in blessings for my body, soul (mind, will and emotions) and spirit. There is nothing left that has not been provided for me. You have provided before there was a need. I rest securely in You knowing You have not abandoned me, no matter the circumstances. Your peace is with me. Your Word changes my worldly perspective to Your supernatural view of things. Your promises comfort me. And Your holy Presence takes me before Your Throne of mercy. I love You my Lord and my God. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.