On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

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Psalm 145 was penned in the last years of David’s life. When considering mountain top highs and valley lows of life, David’s life would look like the Denali mountain range – extending for miles and miles with breathtaking, nearly unattainable highs and seemingly insurmountable lows.  

If you haven’t read about the life of David, I would encourage you to spend some time reading in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Chronicles – his life story is like reading a novel full of impossibility (killing a lion, a bear, and a human giant as a child), life-or-death suspense (being pursued by a mad king and his army with the end goal of murder), romance and heartbreak (marrying the king’s daughter but then having an affair with another woman), with a fairytale ending (young shepherd boy becomes the king of a nation).

As 1 Chronicles 29:28 says “He [King David] died at a ripe old age, full of days, riches, and honor”. David lived a FULL life. And do you know what is probably one of the most impressive parts about the life that he lived? His faith in God; his respect for God; his dedication to worshipping and serving God; and his love for God. He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). And for this reason, he had many wondrous works and examples of God’s majesty on which meditate in his final years.        

Before we proceed, it is important to clarify what meditating means within the context of today’s verse, because these days “meditation” has different meanings to different people. The word meditate used in verse 5 stems from the Hebrew word, “siyach” which can be defined as a contemplation, utterance, or prayer. Rather than emptying your mind of everything like modern-day meditation often instructs, Biblical meditation calls for us to reflect on the wonder of God – who He is, what He has created, and what He has done. This is a practice that David had mastered, resulting in many beautiful Psalms we get to enjoy today!

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I love today’s scripture because it’s something that I believe is a habit in which we should all engage regularly. Just as David regularly praised the Lord and contemplated his faithfulness, I too have seen how meditating on the glory and faithfulness of God in my life and the lives of others has helped me overcome doubt, anxiety and fear. I was actually recently reminded of this when a Facebook memory popped up in my feed from 2017 – the year my husband and I quit both of our jobs, packed all of our belongings into a camper and truck bed, and made the 3000 mile trek from PA to AK with no jobs or housing lined up.  

What you need to understand is both me and my husband are Type-A individuals. We are both CPAs and come from financially minded families who trained us to be God-honoring but responsible managers of God’s provisions. In addition to my type A personality, I have dealt with anxiety and depression throughout my life specifically regarding new situations, to the point that going to a new place made me physically ill since I was a child.

So what were we doing throwing caution to the wind and starting over someplace new with a plan that didn’t have certain financial or housing security waiting at the other end? What was David doing walking up to the King of Israel demanding that he be allowed to fight the disrespectful giant with just a sling and a stone? We were putting our faith in the Father and that to which He had called us. My husband and I (and David!) have seen God’s faithfulness in history and within our own lives, giving us the courage to take a leap of faith.  

Meditation reminds us of the ways in which God has provided for us individually and for others in the past. We see that God guided the stone to blow a death strike on Goliath when David faced him. We see how David’s life was spared from the hands of King Saul’s murderous pursuits; we see how even though David committed adultery God forgave and allowed him to continue to live a fruitful life – and that’s just David’s story.  

In the New Testament, we see a virgin become pregnant with the Messiah; Jesus killed on the cross and brought back to life; we see Paul stoned multiple times but spared from death and strengthened to continue ministry; we see Peter chained between two guards on the eve of his execution and by the power of an “earthquake” set free; and if you need more evidence of God’s faithfulness, check out Hebrews 11. It won’t disappoint.  

But what about today? It’s all good that it’s in the Bible, but what experiences today can we meditate on? What about the fact that on November 30, 2018, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Central Alaska and not one person was killed? Even more incredible, two days later many of us were able to come together for Compassion Day at ACF Church and sponsor every single Compassion Child in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso? We can meditate on the fact that our church and others throughout the community have seen significant growth over the last five years with many stories that point towards the redemptive grace of God.  

But today’s experiences don’t stop there. We can look within our own lives and see the fingerprint of God all over our experiences. Within my own life, our move to Alaska was marked with God’s provision. Yes we came up “unprepared”, but God wasn’t unprepared. He had a plan, as we found jobs, housing and a church community within two months. Fast forward to year three of our marriage – we found ourselves unexpectedly pregnant. Anxiety reared its nasty head and the what-if’s began to run.  

By meditating on God’s provision in the midst of the unknown during our move, I found courage that God would provide the strength needed to face parenthood. Since then we have faced many equally important unknown situations – and with each experience I find my anxiety, doubt and fear quieter and quieter.  As I meditate on God’s wondrous works in the Bible, in my community, in my life, and the lives of other’s it becomes easier to face the giants head-on with confidence.  

Now it’s your turn. I know that life experiences are different for everyone. I know that there are many who have experienced so much hurt, trauma, and heartbreak that a knee-jerk reaction to this devo is probably “Sure I see it elsewhere, but God hasn’t been there for me.” If that’s you friend – my heart is breaking with you. I wish I could grab coffee, hug you and just hear your story or cry with you.  

There’s a good chance this meditation exercise will take some extra effort. But, if you’re reading this, it means that there is still breath in your lungs and God has a REASON for you to still be here. He has preserved you for this moment. Chances are, if you dig deep into your memory bank, you’ll be able to find a time where God proved Himself faithful. Hold onto this hope, meditate on it, and together we’ll pray for continued experiences of His wondrous works in your life!  

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Heavenly Father,  

Thank you for your faithfulness, goodness, and majesty. In a world that feels so hopeless sometimes, thank you that we have examples of your provision all throughout history and in our own lives from which we can draw strength and courage. Help us to never stop meditating on who You are and all that You have done for us. In your precious name we pray, Amen.  

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