Prov. 3:6
Let’s understand just what the word, “Praise” means, beyond just saying, “Praise the Lord.” God says He dwells in our praise, but we have missed the deeper point. Praise means “acknowledgement!” When we see several coincidences going on in our life and acknowledge them as from God, then we have praised Him. And the more we praise Him for those, the more He will send for you to ponder their meaning. You see, this is the way to practice the presence of God. He dwells in His being acknowledged, praised.
So, if you are going to go through the fiery trial He sent instead of going around it, then He will go through it with you as long as you watch for signposts, and acknowledge the coincidences as from Him. It takes practice, but the more you do this, the better you become at it and the sooner you see into the invisible Kingdom within, and target the giant that God is trying to show you. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” ( Prov. 3:6; top )
“Pondering” is another very important word. It brings revelation. After the angel told Mary she would be covered by the Holy Spirit and be with child, she pondered these things in her heart. Later, she visited her kinswoman and received more confirmation of Who her child was. This by the child John in Elizabeth’s womb leaping, plus the revelation Elizabeth had. Mary pondered those things, too. Pondering is a bit different than merely thinking. Thinking looks for immediate answers, and if they don’t come quickly if is just forgotten. But pondering is considering the details and keeping them at the ready in your heart, waiting for more details that finally put it all together into a good answer. This is how revelation comes, and is also how Jesus grows in us.
Pondering is constant communion with God, mixing the fresh manna with the wine of the Spirit. It is constant prayer and seeing God’s will for you. It looks at all situations to see God’s hand in it, practicing the presence of God, just as Jesus did. Pondering will, in time, make you naked and unashamed before God and man. This is the true intimacy Jesus spoke of, when He talked about never having known some.
Practicing pondering gives your own spirit an opportunity to bring all the details together at once at the right time, forming revelation of truth. But it takes a long time to learn to let your sleeping spirit wake up to bring wisdom. You have for so long let it lay aside and have made your decisions out of emotions rather than out of wisdom, that it will be utterly confusing as the details pour in. So pondering must be learned, and it soon becomes a habit to look at every detail of life for a possible parable to show you what God wants you to discover for yourself.
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