Jesus, You are the Center of My Joy

Though rulers sit together and slander me,

your servant will meditate on your decrees.

Psalm 119:23

Jesus, you are the center of my joy

All things good and perfect come from you

You’re the heart of my contentment

Hope for all I do

Jesus, you are the center of my joy

I went to a concert at my church on a Saturday evening for a CD Release.  One of the songs sung was the one above, and it was a beautiful rendition.  The following day, during our testimony period, I had to admit that I’m a worry-wart.  I can read my Bible, close it, and immediately find myself dwelling on my problems, which is sin, because it signifies that somehow I’ve allowed my problems to become bigger than God.  Instead of waking up with my mind “stayed” on Jesus, I wake up with my mind “stayed” on the “rulers” who are slandering me, or otherwise attacking me.

Jesus, you are the center of my joy

The song was so beautifully done that I thought about it all night, and when I woke up in the morning, the song was still playing in my mind.  It gave me a feeling of peace.  I was given a gift of beautiful music, which successfully refocused my attention back on God and His Majesty & His Righteousness, and reminded me that nothing could harm me.

My word of wisdom for today is meditation.  My word of advice is that we all spend time meditating on God, and who He says He is and what He says He can do.  Once we mediate on Him, we will remember that He is bigger than troublesome people & problems, and that will bring peace.

Years ago, someone told me that worry is also a form of meditation, it’s just that we’re constantly thinking about the negative instead of the positive.  It’s curious that I don’t need instruction on how to worry.  In theory, I shouldn’t need instruction on how to think positively, but I do.  What I realized after this experience is that singing is a form of meditation.  If I get a really catchy tune or beautiful music in my head, I don’t need to focus my mind, arrange my body carefully, pay attention to my body & regulate my breathing.  The power of the music is strong enough to hold my attention & focus my thoughts.  I’m in meditation.

Now I have a more powerful reason for not listening to “worldly” music.  When I listen to music laced with profanity, suggestive lyrics, and unGodly themes, I meditate on that.  The world’s problems become my problems, and I have enough problems of my own.

I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.

Psalm 143:5