“I will ponder the way that is blameless.”
Psalm 101:2a
Ponder.
“To consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate.”
How much pondering do we do these days?
Because pondering goes beyond simply thinking about something. It requires depth — digging through layers until we reach the heart of the matter.
It also requires breadth — considering every facet of the subject at hand. Not being content to settle on the first line of thinking that crosses my mind.
Did you notice the psalmist’s wording? “I will ponder.” This tells me pondering is a choice I have to make.
And since the wheels of life keep moving faster and days keep getting fuller and free time is becoming more scarce, I just might have to plan to ponder. I might have to make time for it.
So what did the psalmist ponder?
“…the way that is blameless.”
I wonder how much more successful I would be in walking blamelessly if I actually spent time pondering it…
The psalmist goes on in the rest of this chapter to detail more than a dozen ways he will walk blamelessly. What would happen if I made a choice to ponder the way that is blameless, and then chronicled my ponderings in a list? An action plan, so to speak?
I would venture to say that my chances of walking blamelessly might just rise pretty dramatically.
What else should we ponder? God’s Word has something to say about this:
“I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways.” (Psalm 119:15)
“My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.” (Psalm 49:3)
“My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promise.” (Psalm 119:148)
“I will ponder all Your work, and meditate on Your mighty deeds.” (Psalm 77:12)
Is it any wonder that the psalmist was himself a ponderer? God used this ponderer in an epic way to record His own words for the benefit of mankind until the end of time.
Don’t believe the lie that says pondering is a waste of time. That a quick read-through a verse or two is enough to check “devotions” off your list.
Spend time meditating on wisdom…on the way that is blameless.
Ponder your God…His precepts, His ways, His promises, His works, His mighty deeds.
Because time spent meditating on God is never wasted.
Written by Jennifer Clarke