“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8
Before Joshua led the children of Israel across the Jordan River to possess the Promised Land, God gave him His definition of success. Many people are searching for the secret to success and it is right here in verse 8. It involves knowing God’s Word (“This book of the Law” – for Joshua this was the first five books of the Old Testament) so well that it does “not depart from your mouth” (1:8a). God also tells Joshua to “meditate in it day and night” (1:8b). Meditation is much like a cow that chews its cud. Cows chew on grass…swallow it… bring it back up and chew on it some more and then swallow it again to get the most nutrients from that food. Meditating on God’s Word means to have it rolling around in your mind as a way of life, so God can nourish your soul and give direction for your life. Someone once, “Reading the Bible without meditating on it is like trying to eat without swallowing.” You are not going to get the spiritual nourishment you need.
The purpose of knowing and meditating on God’s Word is so that we will obey it – “that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it” (1:8c). Notice God says to do “all” that His Word says, not just the parts that fit our lifestyle. God wants our lifestyle to line up with His Word, not the other way around. Everyone wants to be successful. The world says success is having a big bank account, a big house, a big boat, a fancy car, and a big retirement plan. The church has bought into this mentality. The church may say you are not successful until you have a big building with a big budget and a big membership.
But what does God say? God says, “If you want success, know My Word, meditate on My Word, and do what it says.” Success in God’s eyes is getting to the end of your life having done what God wanted you to do. It is being faithful to God’s Word.