For the past three or four years or so, I have enjoyed journaling my thoughts on the Scriptures in a spiral-bound notebook. I truly believe it is the most influential habit I have. For what could be more important than daily meditating upon the Scriptures?! That being said, some days I would write more. Some days less. And some days (unusually busy ones or days of travel) I would not write anything at all (although usually I would have something to say!). No matter how much I wrote, however, the only consistent thing was that I was probably the only one who could read it. My handwriting is atrocious. I suppose my parents should have been a bit more forceful about my holding my pencil right in the second grade. But then again, they probably were forceful, for I was a hard-headed child.

Anyhow, I recently downloaded a journaling program for my Mac that enables me to easily keep track of various journals and journal entries. It also enables me to send what I have written to a blog of my choice with great ease. And that is exactly where this blog comes in.

This blog is what the title and subtitle says it is: my notes on the Scriptures. It contains my daily thoughts on the Word of God. Nothing fancy. Nothing cleaned up nice and neat for the general public. I just think and write (and maybe consult a commentary or two), and then I press send to this blog. That being said, my thoughts are usually devotional by nature, for my foremost aim each morning is to center my mind and heart on the glory of our great God. That is, I want to inform my thinking and stir up my affections. I (we) need to not only learn more truth, but maybe even more so, get excited about all that we already do know once again (that is, every single day)!

I trust I am not the only one who wakes up dead (or so I feel). Though I might be in the heavenlies the night before, the very next morning (only 7 or 8 hours later!), my heart seems as hard as can be. So I wake up to a war; and the only way I know how to fight is by seeking the Lord through the Word and prayer (and the two certainly go hand in hand). For every morning I need to see the Lord for who He is and be reminded of the great truths concerning our Savior. And, by the Holy Spirit (whose presence and insight I continually pray for), I need to get excited about all these things–as close as possible to the high thoughts and affections that will fill me in Heaven. These notes are essentially my way of meditation. For in my experience, writing is the only way to truly think. Until I put words upon a page, I cannot think with any real depth or clarity. Nor can I make necessary, pratical connections that feed and transform my mind and heart and life.

I usually am able to meditate this way for about 30 minutes or so each morning. Right now, I am following something of my own reading plan.  One chapter of the Old Testament per day and 2 chapters of Psalms, Proverbs, or the New Testament. Of course, there are some days when it is impossible to read and meditate with my computer in front of me, but for the most part, it can and will happen. Some days there will be more. Some days less. And some days not at all. But everyday the Word of God must be central and my heart must be stirred. It is my prayer that whoever would be inclined to check this blog might be as encouraged as I am by this practice.

The Lord is good. And He uses language to transform our thinking and feeling. It is amazing isn’t it? May He see fit to change the thoughts and stir the affections of all who happen to find their way here.

Seeking Him with you,
Joe