Traveling is a big part of the ministry God has called me to. People often ask if I like to travel. My answer is usually the same, the “travel” I don’t enjoy as much as the being there! Being there I love… getting there not so much!
Whether by car or by plane, I often go for hours just with my thoughts. I read books, respond to correspondence, write, or watch something to pass the time, but I find myself often going on for long periods of time just with my thoughts in meditation.
After a long time away from home, I often think about my family and how God has blessed me with children who love the Lord. I thank Him for the grandchildren He has given me and that it is my favorite new hobby. I meditate on such a wonderful God who has given me the most special wife. She’s been through a lot of tough times being married to me. Together we have endured many trying times and the challenges that leadership brings. She is beautiful inside and out, loves the Lord and loves to serve Him and our family selflessly. I can go a long time thinking on these things, but as I mediated this morning on this passage, do I meditate on Him nearly enough?
I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. Psalm 145:5. KJV
It’s easy to become enamored with the things and the people God has put in our life. To become so focused on our thankfulness for them, and not nearly enough on our thankfulness for Him!
While the English uses the phrase “I will speak,” I believe David’s word choice better reflects the use of the word “meditate.” I envision David, sitting quietly, someplace peaceful and serene undistracted, like myself often in my own little world with my noise cancelling headphones, just thinking and meditating on God Himself.
I was imagining how to describe this adoration of God’s excellence and an image of my grandson Theo came to mind. My wife thought it would be a good idea to set up the lights for Christmas around our house… for the grandkids. It’s a lot of work, but “for the grandkids” is her new motivation to push me to do something I might be usually lazy about doing.
I never imagined how special that time would be, not just that first night, but every single night they were up outside. Every single night, when the automatic lights would come on, he would come grab me by the finger and we would walk outside and just sit and look at the sparkling icicle lights. Every single night he would ooh and ahh and just sit in admiration of it all. No distractions. No agenda. Nothing else. Just a papa with a little boy in his lap, sitting in wonder and admiration.
Sitting, studying this passage, I imagined David, full of admiration of God’s excellency and His wondrous works, blocking out all other distractions and just worshipping Him in fully uninterrupted meditation. I wondered how I myself might grow, might benefit in my own life if in my own walk, more regularly, I would just slow down, in uninterrupted admiration of His excellence. Just a man sitting in the lap of his ABBA father, imagining how he could grow to be more like Him.
Dr. Ronald J. Barnes, Jr.
President / CEO
April 25, 2023
