Prayer Exercise #3- Sit at Jesus' feet

(This is the last exercise in a 3-part series meant to help you memorize, ingest, and pray the truths in Deuteronomy 33:3. There is a  self-timed prayer exercise below. 

​It will help you spend 6-11+ minutes in prayer with God.  You transition at your own pace. 

The last 2 weeks (3/17 and 3/24) talked about the word “love” as mentioned and defined only once, in Deuteronomy 33:3.  Please review those exercises if you haven’t yet!  This week, the focus is on another word mentioned and defined only once in Deuteronomy 33:3. 

That word is “words”.

Deuteronomy 33:3- NASV- "Indeed, He loves the people; All Your holy ones are in Your hand, And they followed in Your steps; Everyone receives of Your words.

While the occurrence of “words” happens over 500 times in the Bible, here in Deuteronomy 33:3, it is used once and defined uniquely as an INTENSIVE form of God-words coming to God’s people.
It seems like another prophetic clue spoken by Moses, that points to Jesus, the Word of God who was to come from Heaven-

“In the beginning was the ​Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”- John 1:1
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”- John 1:14
“Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”- Matthew 4:4

God’s Words are not meant to just be read or heard.  They are meant to be meditated upon and received by faith based action. 

Into the Waters Ministry often uses biblical meditation to take people into deeper experience with God’s Word (Psalm 119:99, Joshua 1:8, Romans 12:2) for soul prosperity and mind renewal.  For a reminder of the purpose and intent of the ministry, please visit the “About Us” page and the “Invite Me In” page.

Biblical meditation helps people pray.  In the way God intended, meditation brings God’s Word alive in concrete scenes, engages the senses, triggers emotional and mental response, and, when in agreement with the Spirit, it supernaturally transforms.  Also, it is an excellent vehicle to use to linger with God in prayer.  God’s Word is full of concrete descriptions meant to be processed not just in our heart but through the 5 senses and processed with our minds and hearts. 

We need to slow ourselves down in biblical meditation to pull apart what God intends to say.  He helps us by speaking in concrete terms versus our Western way of speaking in abstract terms.    
Which statement is God’s?
A.      I want my people to learn a lot from my Word.
B.      Let my teaching fall like rain, let my words descend like dew, like showers on new blades of grass, abundant rain on tender shoots.

The answer is B and it is found in Deuteronomy 32:2.

Do you see the difference between the abstract and concrete here?    

In letter A, what exactly does it mean to “learn a lot”?  It is open to interpretation.  Your version of “a lot” is different than my version of “a lot”.    

But in letter B, if you were to tie God’s teaching to the importance of rain, dew, showers, and abundant rain, his point is clear.  Not only is it clear, it is packaged in scenes experienced by all people, all ages, all languages, all cultures.   Scenes and beauty to linger upon in biblical meditation.

• Can you conjure up the smell the rain?  How pleasing and refreshing is the smell of rain? 
• Can you feel and see rain, the dew, the showers, the grass, the tender shoots?  How cleansing and stilling can it be?
• Can you imagine the taste of rain, of dew, of abundant rain?  How necessary is it as drink for the all living things? 
• Can you hear the different sounds of each scene?  How calming is rain to our minds, our emotions?  How does it slow activity and keep people still? 

The point being, God’s intent is often spoken and written in concrete terms.  He often writes several “movie shorts” to illustrate his point.  This is what he does in Deuteronomy 32:2.  His teaching is like water from Heaven, life giving, sustaining, calming, and cleansing.   Without water, everything dies.  And to his point, without his supernatural teaching falling to give life to people, we die.
    
Sometimes the images he gives are not easily understandable to our Western minds that process in abstract ways.  As example, Jesus’ parables often refer to unique aspects of Hebrew culture and a wilderness life that needs translation for people in our day.  He references farming, shepherding, vine dressing, Old Testament forms of temple worship, olive groves, a sacrificial system that requires blood being shed for forgiveness.  These images are full of meaning if we understand in context.  The truth of God’s teaching and knowing God intimately comes to the one willing to dig deep for the treasure.
 
The diligent and earnest seeker slows down and waits for God, in the way abundant rain slows down traffic, activity, and life.  Slowing down and earnestness are qualities disappearing in our time.  It is counter-culture, as we Westerners live fast and want an immediate google-answer.  But there is no avoiding the fact that a healthy, thriving prayer life with God doesn’t come through “scanning” pages for answers.  He is not a “drive-thru” or known from Instagram posts.

The diligent and earnest are rewarded, Hebrews 11:6.  These are the saints at his feet bowing, listening, and processing His words and instruction.
Deuteronomy 33:3- NASV- "Indeed, He loves the people; All Your holy ones are in Your hand, And they followed in Your steps; Everyone receives of Your words.

Take some time to sit at his feet, receive His Words, know the WORD who is himself God.  May you lose track of time as you talk to God and rest in His presence.  Blessings!

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