Nothing is more wonderful to a child than a new puppy and nothing is more dependent upon that child than that new puppy. When I was about 10 years old we got a new puppy for our family. I loved the puppy and he spent all day with me.
Now I need to give you a little back story. My dad had a special needs sister. Aunt Tel lived with us the whole time I was growing up.
Aunt Tel must have been in her early 40’s at the time. It is obvious to me now that she must have been having some issues with irregularity because she had been told she needed to eat some prunes. To this day I do not know if she did not LIKE prunes, or if they just did not help her! But she offered the unwanted prunes to me.
I had not had a lot of prunes, if any, in my 10-year life span! I ate a few and they were just okay. Well, the puppy sitting in my lap was VERY interested in the prunes. So he had a happy feast!
The next morning when I awoke my dad said to me, “Janice, what did you feed that dog yesterday?”
You see, my dad was legally blind, and he had gone out on the back porch to put some laundry in the laundry room. The puppy slept on the back porch.
I responded so matter-of-factly, “Nothing but prunes daddy.”
My dad replied, and to this day I can hear him like it was yesterday! “Well! I cleaned up 6 messes and turned around, and stepped in another one!!”
What goes up must come down, and what goes in must come out! There have been times in my life - and I am sure that if you are honest that you have been there, too – when what I had been putting in my heart and mind was coming out a mess. I would find myself leaving little messes everywhere I went. This is what happens when one is full of prunes!
Psalm 19:14 is a prayer in the form of a song.
Let the words of mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
The word meditation means a murmuring sound, that is, a musical notation. Our word music comes from the word muse.
Music is a wonderful way to fill your heart and your mind with good thoughts. Here at Faith Music we like to say that a gospel song is a three-minute message that helps us meditate on the principles of God’s word and builds our faith. The book of Psalms contains 150 songs. It appears that God wanted His people to meditate on His precepts, principles and promises!
When reading Proverbs 9, two verses really stand out to me:
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, (Proverbs 9:4)
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,(Proverbs 9:16)
These verses are nearly identical. Verse 4 is the cry of wisdom and verse 16 is the cry of the foolish woman. Lady Wisdom has furnished a delightful table. To dine with Lady Wisdom you must forsake the foolish. You will live if you do!
Verse 16 is the cry of the foolish woman. Her water is stolen and her bread is deceitful. Her way leads to death and destruction.
When it comes to your music, who is making your dinner? What is your soul having for supper?
Vicky Mutchler stated once that pressure squeezes out what’s inside. That thing you did not mean to say, but it just came out. My pastor’s wife, Beverly Hyles,used to say, “Yes, you did mean it! Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” What goes in will come out! Will we leave behind messes or blessings? Will we be full of prunes or full of wisdom?
Psalm 19 teaches us to take care that the meditation of our heart is acceptable in the sight of God. He has redeemed us for that purpose and He will give us the strength to do so.
I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. (Psalm 104:33-34)
When the direction of our praise is towards God, the dedication of our life is for God and the meditation of our heart is upon God, then, the by-product is a glad heart! A glad heart is a much better gift to others than the messes we leave behind when we are full of prunes.