Just A Thought

Just A Thought

by pastor Brenda El-Talabani

Each of these devotional blogs entries is meant to be read on your own or if you have family or friends you live with, to be read together aloud. A suggestion  is to do this after you have dinner around the table together.  At the conclusion, please spend time in personal reflection or in sharing with one another your answers to the questions at the end. Be sure to conclude with prayer.

Read Joshua 1:1-10

Just a thought: How much time do I spend thinking about Bible verses? It is humbling to know that what I spend my time thinking about affects my life. Who I am. What I do. How I speak.

When I read Joshua 1:8, I am reminded that I should be meditating (thinking) on the Word of God. Otherwise, how will I know what I am supposed to do? How will I know if my ways are right? How will my thoughts be directed from God? How will my thoughts be thoughts from God?

I find that if I start thinking of God at the beginning of each day, and praying, and asking for guidance, my thoughts are often turned toward verses that I have read in His Word. This certainly affects my thought pattern as I begin my day. I pray that God will encourage and guide you during this time of uncertainty. May the following prayer based on Joshua 1:8 be of help to you as you spend time thinking on God’s Word.

Father God, I ask that you help me “study this Book, (the Bible) of instruction continually.” Teach me God, how to “meditate on it day and night.” I want to be “sure to obey everything written in it.” God, I want my thoughts to be your thoughts. Thank you God, for leading me to your word. I pray that you will lead me to “prosper and succeed in all that I do” to glorify you. Thank you God for loving me, caring for me and filling my thoughts with your word. Amen.

Reflect with someone else or on your own:

  1. What does it mean to reflect on God’s word? What are some of the ways you reflect on His Word?
  2. Why is it so important that we reflect on and study God’s Word?
  3. What are some things that you have found helpful as you study God’s Word?
  4. What are some practical steps you can take to begin reflecting on and studying His Word more?