July 29, 2013

I found an online version of Daily Strength for Daily Needs.
 http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=1471279&pageno=1

Today's entry is from the January 12 reading of DS for DN.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

Jean N Grou (1731-1803) wrote, "There is another kind of silence to be cultivated, besides that of the tongue as regards to others.  I mean the silence of one's self,--restraining the imagination, not permitting it to dwell overmuch on that we have heard or said, not indulging in the phantasmagoria of picture-thoughts, whether of the past of future.  be sure that you have made no small progress in the spiritual life, when you can control your imagination, so as to fix it on the duty and occupation actually existing, to the exclusion of the crowd of thoughts which are perpetually sweeping across the mind.  No doubt, you cannot prevent those thoughts from arising, but you can prevent yourself from dwelling on them; you can put them aside, you can check the self-complacency, or irritation, or earthly longings which feed them, and by the practice of such control of your thoughts you will attain that spirit of inward silence which draws the soul into a close intercourse with God."

One of the major hurdles in my quiet time is what is described by Jean Grou in the passage above.  Thoughts of work, errands, lists, projects, etc. all compete for my mind when I sit down to spend time alone with God.

Perhaps Psalm 19:14 should be my "kick-off" prayer for each quiet time.  Asking God to monitor my thoughts.  Putting God in charge of what captures my mind.  Allowing God to control my imagination so that I may "fix it on the duty and occupation actually existing."

I like the NIV translation of Psalm 19:14.  I would have quoted the verse, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart. . ."

But with the change of "the" to "these/this" places the verse in a different light for me.  Rather than a generic "the", David chose "these/this" to refer to a specific, real-time event.  "These" words, "this" meditation.  Right now.  Today.  July 29, 2013 at 7:12 a.m.