Be Thou my best thought, in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law he meditates day and night. (Ps. 1:2)
Man, known by his actions; actions footprint of the heart; heart governed by its delights; delights chosen by the will. The prosperous Christian sets his will to take pleasure in reflecting on the Scripture both day and night; endeavoring to understand it, conversing with himself concerning it, impressing it on his heart. The one whose heart is fixed on the Word of God with a will that is set on the truth of God, prospers in the ways of God. A heart governed by its God-fearing delights, leads one to a fruitful life and he prospers in all that he does (Ps. 1:3).
What we love we love to think about. What we love to think about we love to do. When we think diligently, constantly, intentionally about the divine truth of God, carefully considering the application of it to our thoughts, our actions, and our relationships, we unite our actions with His Word. We begin to choose His thoughts over our thoughts, His ways over our ways. To merely meditate—or—think on the Word of God would be like a soldier who receives orders from his Commanding Officer. Upon receiving them, he takes those orders into his barracks and hides them in his backpack. When convenient, he takes them out and reads them, admiring his commander’s writings, his knowledge, his ideas. He then returns the orders to his backpack for another day. A Superior’s commands are to be obeyed as are the commands in Scripture. When we apply God’s Word to our lives, we prepare ourselves for the battles that lie ahead.
Your heart is the ruler of your actions. When you delight in the teaching and instruction of God’s Word, you will find your greatest joy in allowing His truth to be the divine guide for your life. Do you find pleasure in the truth of God’s Word? Are you taking time to think deeply, seriously about His Word? Are you snatching glimpses of your Lord in the free moments of the day? Challenge yourself to think on His Word when you lay your head on your pillow at night, when you wake in the darkness of night, when the stresses of life threaten your peace with God. Let the Scriptures be the object of your heart’s desire and delight of your soul. Let the Law of the Lord become an unfailing subject of reflection for your mind and your rule of conduct. Let this be your prayer: “Be Thou my best thought, in the day and the night, both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.”