Greatly stirred by G-d. Extensive health and home problems brought exhaustion. I was called to read Malachi but put it off due to endless distresses and distractions.
Unable to sleep last night, I lifted the Bible to my lap. The pages turned to the last chapter. Unexpectedly, emotions stirred. Tears flowed and my heart ached.
Chapter 4 is for our time. The repeated dream of wrath came to mind. Pray for the lost. It is an urgent plead.
"When we meditate day and night in the hagah sense, we’re not trying to impress God with consistency. We’re letting His words reshape our instincts until obedience feels natural."
1000 times yes to this. Scriptures isn't something else to add to our programs. It's a new center of gravity.
This is a clarifying and much-needed reframing; faithful to the text and freeing to the reader.
You’re right: Joshua 1:8 is not a productivity verse or a devotional quota. It is a commissioning text. Torah here refers to covenant instruction; the way of life God entrusted to Israel, meant to govern leadership, justice, worship, and communal faithfulness, not merely private spirituality.
Your treatment of hagah is especially illuminating. To "meditate” is not silent rumination but audible allegiance. Keeping God’s instruction on the lips means allowing it to shape speech, decisions, and direction. It is truth rehearsed until it becomes instinct. That reframes meditation from introspection to embodied obedience.
And the distinction you draw around “prosperity” is crucial. Tsalach is not comfort or wealth, but forward movement in alignment with God’s purposes. Success here is covenant faithfulness under pressure, not personal gain.
To your questions: this moment connects directly to God’s larger covenant with Israel: Joshua is called to lead within God’s already-revealed will, not innovate apart from it. The promise rests on obedience, courage, and trust.
This piece rescues the text from moralism and restores its formative intent. Scripture is not merely to be read, it is to be acquired, spoken, and lived.
This is a timely reminder that the Word shapes leaders not by information, but by transformation.
When I read an article like this I have to consider the point of view. There are two opposite errors. Some people faithfully read the Bible and know it, but fail to live it or have a true relationship with Jesus. That is wrong.
On the otherhand I see people arguing that relationship is all that matters and use that as an excuse to not faithfully read the Bible. They can't obey because they don't know what God has commanded or what God has done. That is equally harmful.
We need knowledge, relationship, and obedience. We are on the wrong track if any of these are ignored. I know, personally, that faithful Bble reading has grown my obedience and trust in Jesus. It has motivated obedience and grown my faith. I have been so blessed by studying God's word that I worry a post like this, that has a ton of truth and is correcting a real error, could lead people to abandon reading the Bible and harm their walk with Christ.
I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. 💛 I completely agree that we need knowledge, relationship, and obedience. None of them can stand alone.
This post wasn’t written to downplay reading Scripture (that’s foundational!) but to remind us that the goal is more than JUST consumption... it’s formation. Like you said, reading the Bible fuels obedience and deepens our relationship with Jesus. My point was simply that Joshua 1:8 isn’t about checking off a reading plan; it’s about letting God’s instruction become the rhythm of our speech, thoughts, and actions.
I love that you brought up how Scripture study has shaped your trust in Jesus... that’s exactly what “hagah” looks like in real time; keeping His Word alive and audible in our world. Thank you for adding such a balanced perspective to the conversation. 🙏🏽
I thought that was where you were coming from, but I've seen related comments that seemed to discourage Bible reading. I see lack of Bible reading as the biggest problem today, although study for studies sake can be a problem. So many people who call themselves Christians, seem completely divorced from God's word. Instead of imitating Christ, they make Him in their own image and saying things like, "But my God ..." as if each of us gets to define God for ourselves.
I guess we all run into various errors and in most cases we can fall to either side of the path God has for us. That is why I wrote two articles (scheduled, but not yet published). One talks about how we need to have believers as our closest relationships and not be led by the world. The other talks about how we can't withdraw from the world or we can't be used by God.
Yes, His Word must shape us! We must let Him write His Word on our hearts and live it out.
“‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’”
Greatly stirred by G-d. Extensive health and home problems brought exhaustion. I was called to read Malachi but put it off due to endless distresses and distractions.
Unable to sleep last night, I lifted the Bible to my lap. The pages turned to the last chapter. Unexpectedly, emotions stirred. Tears flowed and my heart ached.
Chapter 4 is for our time. The repeated dream of wrath came to mind. Pray for the lost. It is an urgent plead.
"When we meditate day and night in the hagah sense, we’re not trying to impress God with consistency. We’re letting His words reshape our instincts until obedience feels natural."
1000 times yes to this. Scriptures isn't something else to add to our programs. It's a new center of gravity.
New center of gravity...love that!
When you read Scripture, are you treating it like information or instruction?
This is a GOOD QUESTION, IT GOT MY ATTENTION
That makes me happy because it did what it was meant to do! LOL
This is a clarifying and much-needed reframing; faithful to the text and freeing to the reader.
You’re right: Joshua 1:8 is not a productivity verse or a devotional quota. It is a commissioning text. Torah here refers to covenant instruction; the way of life God entrusted to Israel, meant to govern leadership, justice, worship, and communal faithfulness, not merely private spirituality.
Your treatment of hagah is especially illuminating. To "meditate” is not silent rumination but audible allegiance. Keeping God’s instruction on the lips means allowing it to shape speech, decisions, and direction. It is truth rehearsed until it becomes instinct. That reframes meditation from introspection to embodied obedience.
And the distinction you draw around “prosperity” is crucial. Tsalach is not comfort or wealth, but forward movement in alignment with God’s purposes. Success here is covenant faithfulness under pressure, not personal gain.
To your questions: this moment connects directly to God’s larger covenant with Israel: Joshua is called to lead within God’s already-revealed will, not innovate apart from it. The promise rests on obedience, courage, and trust.
This piece rescues the text from moralism and restores its formative intent. Scripture is not merely to be read, it is to be acquired, spoken, and lived.
This is a timely reminder that the Word shapes leaders not by information, but by transformation.
Blessings,
Ze Selassie
Thank you so much. It blesses me to know you enjoyed the post and for your kind words.
When I read an article like this I have to consider the point of view. There are two opposite errors. Some people faithfully read the Bible and know it, but fail to live it or have a true relationship with Jesus. That is wrong.
On the otherhand I see people arguing that relationship is all that matters and use that as an excuse to not faithfully read the Bible. They can't obey because they don't know what God has commanded or what God has done. That is equally harmful.
We need knowledge, relationship, and obedience. We are on the wrong track if any of these are ignored. I know, personally, that faithful Bble reading has grown my obedience and trust in Jesus. It has motivated obedience and grown my faith. I have been so blessed by studying God's word that I worry a post like this, that has a ton of truth and is correcting a real error, could lead people to abandon reading the Bible and harm their walk with Christ.
Hi Christy,
I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. 💛 I completely agree that we need knowledge, relationship, and obedience. None of them can stand alone.
This post wasn’t written to downplay reading Scripture (that’s foundational!) but to remind us that the goal is more than JUST consumption... it’s formation. Like you said, reading the Bible fuels obedience and deepens our relationship with Jesus. My point was simply that Joshua 1:8 isn’t about checking off a reading plan; it’s about letting God’s instruction become the rhythm of our speech, thoughts, and actions.
I love that you brought up how Scripture study has shaped your trust in Jesus... that’s exactly what “hagah” looks like in real time; keeping His Word alive and audible in our world. Thank you for adding such a balanced perspective to the conversation. 🙏🏽
I thought that was where you were coming from, but I've seen related comments that seemed to discourage Bible reading. I see lack of Bible reading as the biggest problem today, although study for studies sake can be a problem. So many people who call themselves Christians, seem completely divorced from God's word. Instead of imitating Christ, they make Him in their own image and saying things like, "But my God ..." as if each of us gets to define God for ourselves.
I guess we all run into various errors and in most cases we can fall to either side of the path God has for us. That is why I wrote two articles (scheduled, but not yet published). One talks about how we need to have believers as our closest relationships and not be led by the world. The other talks about how we can't withdraw from the world or we can't be used by God.
Indeed! Light "daily devotions -one & done" mindset will never teach us how to take refuge in the only One who can sustain us during tribulations.
Yes!!
Well done. Good reminders about meditation, what success is, and being the living scriptures to others.
I am so glad you liked it!!
Yes, His Word must shape us! We must let Him write His Word on our hearts and live it out.
“‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’”
Jeremiah 31:33 NASB1995
Amen!!