Time to Ponder

I came across Psalm 111:2 the other night, and its words really struck me: "Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them" (New International Version, 1984). I am a busy person. Even now that I finished grad school and only have one full-time, 40-hour-per-week job, I find my hours more than full. I take seconds to jot notes of thanksgiving in my journal, but do I really ever take time to dwell on God and his goodness? The unfortunate answer is, "No."


Fausset (n. d.) writes that "pondered" means "sought out," or "carefully studied." I live a life of the tyranny of the urgent. Even when I have time, I am focused on making efficient use of it, not on using my moments to hone in on the truly important matters of life (Crabbe, 2015). I study life and obsess over my future plans, but I do not take much time to study God, much less to truly examine His handiwork in the world.


So what does it look like to ponder God's works? First of all, I think I need to acknowledge the type of lens through which I see the world.  Am I looking out for myself, or looking out for God? Are my eyes on my fears, or are my eyes on my Father? When I choose to approach the world through eyes of faith, I see this world as a place that is full of God's creative designs. This world is not my home, but my Father did create it. When I look for God, I will see Him (cf Job 19:26). Second, I need to take time.  Instead of focusing on efficiency, I need to work on being present. Instead of checking e-mail on my phone or thinking about my to-do list, I need to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of my environment right now. I need to look for the color (Crabbe, 2015), take in the moment. I need to stop rushing and choose to rest. Joy comes in the now, not the yesterday or in the tomorrow. Third, I need to name God's works. There is power in speaking the truth aloud (John 8:32). Finally, I need to pray. I need to ask God for His eyes, for his perspective on the world. James 1:5 says that "if anyone lacks wisdom,  He should ask." If I really want to see change in my life, I need to ask Someone with supernatural power to enact it in my life.


What will be the benefits of pondering God's work? The Psalmist mentions delight. John Piper (2012) writes that, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." The more I meditate on God and His works, the less I focus on the world around me. I believe that pondering God's words will help me find my joy and satisfaction and God. The question is, "Will I take time to do it?"


References:


Crabbe, T. (2015). Tick-tock. Time management is only making our busy lives worse. Retrieved from http://qz.com/447193/time-management-is-only-making-our-busy-lives-worse/.


Fausset, A. R. (n. d.). The Book of Psalms. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/Psa/Psa_111.cfm?a=589002.


Piper, J. (2012). God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Retrieved from http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/god-is-most-glorified-in-us-when-we-are-most-satisfied-in-him.