Consider your ways. Again, consider your ways. The Lord God is with you. Be strong the Lord of Hosts is with you. Consider from today and onward. Again, consider from today and onward.
In two short pages, God asks us to consider four times. Twice He tells us what to consider and twice He tells us when to consider. I teach 3rd-6th graders each week. Our public schools have fallen down on the job of teaching vocabulary and I love words. Words are my love language. So, I've come to the realization that many people don't understand what God is trying to say to us through His love letter, the Bible.
What does "consider" mean? What did it mean when the Bible was translated from Hebrew and Greek? Does it mean the same thing now that it meant then? A little research will show you that the word hasn't really changed in meaning over the years. Some words do but this one hasn't. When we consider something we look at it closely and think carefully about it.
So, God asks us to look closely at and think carefully about our ways. What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What is the desired outcome of what we do? This includes everything we do. Our ways are our day to day activities, our habits, our speech, our interactions, our money, our food, our clothing, our movies, our books, our friends, and so on. We are to look closely at and think carefully about each.
Remember that the Lord God of Hosts is right there with you. He sees your activities, habits, speech, interactions, money, food, clothing, movies, books, friends, and so on. As we consider our ways, do they please Him? Do they honor Him? Do they bring glory to His Name? Or, do we shame the fearful Name of God? Do we embarrass Him? Do we cause Him to turn away in disgust? He's right there with us. Consider it.
When are you to start considering your ways? Now. Then, continue on tomorrow and the next day and the next. That's pretty clear. Don't wait.
God repeated Himself. He said each thing twice. That's like saying, "HEY! PAY ATTENTION TO THIS! IT'S IMPORTANT!!"
(Father God, help me to consider my ways beginning now. Thank you for being there with me. Forgive me for the shame and disgrace that I've caused. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)
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