Thinking, praying, reading, studying the Bible – when we do these things, we are reflecting on the Word of God. To reflect is to contemplate and/or consider, and God wants us to deeply reflect on His Word so that we can better understand Him.

Monday Reflecting

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. – Psalm 37:23.
Teach me Your way, O LORD. – Psalm 27:11.

God has a book in which is written the ideal history of every man, the biography as it would have been had the man’s steps been ordered by the Lord; and another in which is written the actual history of every man. The books are open side by side, and what a contrast do they present. “Oh! that they had hearkened to my commandments!” saith the Lord; nor is it possible for any one to look upon these two records without taking up the lamentation. What a hallowed and beautiful path is traced in the one; what honorable conflicts and glorious victories; what nobleness of enterprise, what steadfastness under difficulties, what beneficence, what usefulness!… In comparison with this divine romance, behold the actual life portrayed in the other book. How mean! how contemptible! how disordered! What fearful confusion!… Suppose the book of your ideal biography should drop from heaven upon your path. You, with your worldly and gross heart, take it up and look into it. At first, seeing a good deal about tribulation, privation, persecution, bonds, defamation, poverty, and tears, you are ready to throw it away. But stay, my friend; it is from heaven, see if there be not something coupled with these expressions. At one end of a sentence you find, “they that mourn,” “poor in spirit,” “they that are persecuted,” “through much tribulation”; but what at the other end? “Joy,” “blessedness,” “kingdom of heaven.” Remember the disordered steps of your past life. See how much misery you have experienced, even in the path of your own gratification. How unsatisfactory is the retrospect. Are you not willing to live the life that God has sketched for you? Take this book, and live this life; and your biography will be a valuable contribution to the libraries of heaven.
~ BOWEN

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.