ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 MONITE SEPITEMA 8, 2025

NOURISHMENT FOR THE SOUL

ME‘ATOKONI MA‘A E LAUMALIE

PSALM 1:2

"His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." 

SAAME 1:2

Ka ko e Lao ‘a Sihova ‘a ‘ene manako, ‘Io, ‘i he lao ‘o‘ona ‘oku ne fakalaulauloto ‘aho mo e pō.

God's truth will outweigh and outlive all its detractors. As the prophet Isaiah proclaims, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8). 

‘I he kamata’anga ‘o e Tohi Saame, ‘oku tau fe’iloaki ai mo e tangata monu’ia - ‘a e tokotaha fiefia tahaa - ko e tokotaha ‘oku tu’u ‘ene manako ‘i he mo’oni ta’emauea ‘a e ‘Otua. Ko e fo’i folofola kotoa ‘a e ‘Otua ‘oku mahu’inga ki he tokotaha ko eni; ko e fo’i lea kotoa ‘oku melie hangee ha honi (Saame 19:10). Ka ‘oku ‘ikai ke manako pe ‘a e tokotaha ko eni ‘i he Lao ‘a e ‘Otua; ka ‘oku ne fakalaulauloto ki ai.

Ko e Fakalaulauloto ‘e ala fakatatau ia ki he ngaue ‘oku fai ‘e hotau ketee ki he me’atokoni. ‘Oku ta’e malava ‘i hotau tu’unga faka-sino, ke tau ma’u ha me’atokoni ki hotau ngutu (hufanga he fakatapu) pea tuku pe ai ta’e fai ha ngau, pea ke ‘amanaki ‘e ma’u ha ivi mei ai. ‘E hoko ha me’a tatau ki he Folofola ‘a e ‘Otua ‘o kapau ‘oku pehe ni ‘etau omi ki he lotu, ‘i he Sapate ki he Sapate, pea tau lau ‘i he ‘aho ki he ‘aho, kae ‘ikai ke tau fakalaulauloto ki ai. 

Taimi lahi ‘oku tau ongo’i hange ‘oku ‘ikai fe’unga e houa ‘o e ‘aho ki he ngaahi fatongia ‘oku tau fai. Hoko hotau taimi ‘i he Folofola ko ha kavenga, pea kehe pe ke fai. Ka ‘oku mahu’inga ke tau kumi ha founga ke tau fakahu ai ‘Ene Folofola ki hotau loto (Saame 119:11). ‘Oku fiema’u ke tau nofo hifo ‘o ma’u fakalelei mo fakakaukau, pea fehu’i, "Ko e ha ‘a e ‘uhinga ‘o e veesi ko eni? ‘Oku anga fe fe ‘a ‘eku fakahoa ki he’eku fakakaukau mo ‘eku mo’ui ‘i he tu’unga ‘oku ‘i ai? Ko e ha ‘a e me’a ‘oku ne fakae’a mai fekau’aki mo e langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua? Ko e ha ‘a e founga ‘e ngau’aki ai eni ‘e he ‘Otua ke u hokosi ai ‘a e ‘imisi ‘o Kalaisi?"

‘Oku ‘ikai ui kitautolu ke tau ma’u ‘a e Folofolaa ‘o hange ha ki’i fakaneifua pe, ka ke tau ma’u me’atokoni ai hangee ha fu’u polaa. Koe’uhi ‘oku ta’efakangatangata ‘a e ngaahi lelei ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘oku pehee pe ‘a e ta’efakangatangata ‘a e mahutafea ‘a ‘Ene Folofola. Ko e leva ‘a e ‘aonga ‘o e fakalaulauloto ki ho’o mo’ui?  Lotu, kole tokoni mei he Laumalie ‘o e ‘Otua, ke ne takiekina ho loto mo ho ‘atamai ki he folofola. Vakai fakalelei ki he fekau ‘oku lea ai ‘a e Folofola kiate koe. Fakakaukau ki ai. Ukufi. Vakili mo fulifulihi ‘i ho’o fononga ‘i he ‘aho ke ma’u kotoa ‘a e ivi fakalaumalie ‘oku ala ma’u mei ai. Pea ‘i ho’o fakalaulauloto ‘i he Lao ‘a e ‘Otua, kole ki he ‘Otua ke ‘oua ‘e ngata pe ‘i he tupu ho’o ‘ilo kiate Ia, ka ke liliu koe mei loto ke ke tatau mo Hono ‘Alo.  Pea ‘i ho’o fakatokanga’i ‘a e ngaue ‘a e Folofola ‘i ho loto mo ho ‘atamai, ‘e faka’a’au ai pe ho’o manako ke ke lau mo mo’ui’aki ‘Ene Folofola. 

Lau e Tohitapu ‘i he Ta’u ‘e taha: Fakamaau 4-6; Sione 3:1-15

God's truth will outweigh and outlive all its detractors. As the prophet Isaiah proclaims, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8). 

As the Psalter opens, we find that the blessed person - the truly happy one - delights in the enduring truth of God's word. The very words of the Lord are precious to them; each word tastes sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:10). Yet such a person doesn't only delight in the law of the Lord; they also meditate upon it.

Meditation is akin to the process of digestion. It is possible, in physical terms, just to stick food in your mouth and do nothing with it, but that will add nothing of nutritional value to your body. We risk the same with God's word if we come to it Sunday by Sunday and turn to it day by day without intentional meditation.

Often we feel as if our lives are racing by at 100 miles an hour. Daily time in God's word becomes a chore to complete, just to say we've done it. Instead, we need to find ways to store up God's word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). We need to consciously take time to chew it over, to ask throughout the day, "What does this verse really mean? How should it shape my thoughts and actions in this situation? What is it showing me about the glory of God? How might God use it to conform me to the image of Christ?"

We are not called to snack on the Scriptures but to feast on them. Since there is no end to God's excellencies, there is no end to the riches of His word. What will it mean for you to meditate on it? By prayer, seek the help of the Spirit of God to harness your heart and mind to the text. Carefully consider what the Bible has to say. Ponder it. Probe it. Chew on it throughout the day to release as many soul-nourishing nutrients as you can. And as you meditate on the law of your Lord, ask God not just to increase your knowledge of Him but also to change you from the inside out to be more like His Son. As you see His word go to work in your heart and mind and life, you will come more and more to delight in reading it and living by it.