Message summary: As we study God's Word and meditate on His precepts let us be faithful to "Proclaim the works of God and ponder what He has done and what He is going to do".

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"Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them" (Psalm 111:2). "Proclaim the works of God and ponder what He has done" (Psalm 64:9).

Yesterday we sang the great hymn, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” written in 1680 by Joachim Neander.  In his younger years he was a scoffer who ridiculed those who worshiped the Lord, but after his conversion he became the associate pastor at the very church he ridiculed!

As he grew in the Lord he began to write songs and in verse 3 of his best known hymn, "Praise to the Lord” he issued a challenge which we pass on to you today: "Ponder anew what the Almighty can do…"  If your hope needs restored or if God is writing a new chapter in your life, ponder His miraculous ways and trust Him for what He wants to accomplish in you today.

This morning I (Stephen) was out early picking up Amish teachers and taking them to their one room schoolhouses (3 separate schools). Due to a snow storm we had a 2 hour delay but the roads were clear and the countryside was beautiful. During the drive I took in an unbroken view of the snow covered fields, the trees and bushes, the fences, as well as the barns and houses, but there is also beauty in close-up views which requires the observer to stop and examine closely.

The same principle is true with Scripture. We benefit from both the panoramic and close-up views of the Holy Word of God!

We're more familiar with the panoramic view when we read larger portions of Scripture in a Bible reading plan, with the intention of reading through the entire Bible in a year. Many make that their focus.

But we also need the close-up view in which we really examine and ponder each verse, phrase, or even consider the meaning of just one word. This may include comparing translations, word studies from the original languages, consulting commentaries and so forth. Of special spiritual value is memorizing portions of God's Word.

"Ponder" means to consider or examine attentively or deliberately. Synonyms are meditate, muse, ruminate. Of course ruminate, which means to "think deeply about something" is the same word for a cow chewing and chewing and chewing her cud!

"Ponder anew, what the Almighty can do". It's a daily discipline to ponder anew what the Almighty has done, is doing and will do. We proclaim His works in creation (nature) such as the beauty of a snowy countryside and that sure gives us plenty to ponder. But we also do well to ponder God's Word, both close up and at a distance.


Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen and Brooksyne Weber