Consider Consideration

A discussion on consideration is the reason that I started a blog. I just have not had the opportunity or time to deal with it until now. My plan is to take a look at a number of portions of scripture that tell us to consider something. There is an idea that is popular of late that a true Christian experience is based on emotions and have no need rational thinking. But as John 4:23 says "the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." True worship is done with our heart and our head. How are we to worship in truth that which we do not understand? Christians should be a people that are thoughtful, that meditate, that deeply consider life.

A PLEA TO CONSIDER,

Why consider? Consideration gives us a greater understanding of a topic that we probably think we already know. The final and chief end of consideration is to know God more fully. All that is in our life, everything we know and see is from God. Considering anything should ultimately lead us to think of God in some aspect. And to know God is to enjoy God. This is my plea to make us take a deep consideration of God, that we should enjoy God more. It is impossible for those who can see God truly for who He is and not love and take enjoyment in Him. And I will assure you that if you would give consideration to God you will find a delight that is so wonderful that you will never be satisfied with anything else. The name of my last blog was called "Ravished with Delight". This is taken from a quote by Thomas Watson that says "the more we enjoy God, the more we are ravished with delight". This quote is absolutely true. When we see and know God, we find enjoyment, and the delight we find in that enjoyment is so beautifully ravishing that our hearts will never be the same. Also there is never anything that will ever be unlovely to us in God. The more we understand of His complexity the more lovely He becomes. There are no impurities in God, there is only wonderful perfection. No matter at what angle you look at Him, or how you turn Him like a diamond to inspect from all sides, He is wholly glorious. Each crevice thoroughly inspected will only grow our delight. Never fear that intense inspection of God will diminish how wonderful He is to you, true knowledge of Him will make our joy grow all the more.

HOW TO CONSIDER,

Most of us know the basics of what it means to meditate on something. Distraction is always the biggest concern. If we do not allow ourselves to let the world go away for just a little while the we can never deeply consider anything. But, I also say with concern with Thomas Manton " to a distracted mind no place is solitude; the very closet is a market place". Please do not think that being alone means that your thoughts are focused. "Scattered rays heat, but burn not. When the beams of the sun are contracted in a burning-glass, a narrow place, then they fire; so when our thoughts are more particular and set, then they warm the heart, and return to us with advantage." (Thomas Manton). How do we know when we have meditated enough? I will leave you with one last thought from Manton. He is speaking directly about creation but I think it applies to all meditation "This is the least respect you owe God to wonder at his works; and till your hearts be thus heightened, your thoughts have not been ponderous and serious, nor sufficiently exercised.” We will know that we have meditated long enough when we are left in awe and wonder at our glorious God. Do not be satisfied with anything less.

Brief look at what I plan to talk about

      - Psalm 8:3 the heavens

      - Proverbs 6:6 the ant

      - Matthew 6:8 the lilies

      - I Corinthians 1:26 your calling (ESV)

      - II Timothy 2:7 scripture

      - Hebrews 3:1 Jesus

      - Hebrews 10:4 one another 

and probably more, these are verses that all directly use the word consider in context and they will the focus of my blog for the next few posts.