Knowing these truths, the exhortation given to us is not to limit ourselves to observing the times but also to pray and declare so that our days follow God’s perfect plan in His time, according to the truths we have learned. In Joshua 1:8, it is written:

“Let not this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will prosper and succeed.”

A clarification is provided regarding the moments of meditation, day (from the Hebrew yômâm, during the day, at the time of the day) and night (from the Hebrew layelâh, at the time of the night before going to bed). Just as day and night contain messages to the glory of God (cf. Psalms 19:1-5), God also gives us the opportunity to gaze into His Word to succeed in everything we undertake.

Meditating on the Word of God, from the Hebrew hâgâh, means to read, meditate, reflect, and declare with one’s mouth what the Word says. That’s why God insisted that the Book of the Law should not depart from our mouths (not from our eyes). This means that we should read and then declare the Word of God, day and night, to align our days and nights according to God’s perfect will.

Through the declaration prayer over our days and nights, we command, give precise orders, so that the dawn takes hold of the ends of the earth and the wicked are shaken (cf. Job 38:12-13). When we meditate on the Word of God and declare it, we draw from divine providence to benefit from all the refreshing goodness renewed for us, morning after morning (cf. Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:22); this also allows us to access the divine provision that helps us endure day after day (cf. Matthew 6:11: “give us today our daily bread“).

This is also how we can work effectively, redeem the time, and maximize the time allotted to us before the glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are called to redeem the time because the days are evil (cf. Ephesians 5:16). Understanding this reality, David could declare on his day:

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

David began by acknowledging that it is God who makes and accomplishes all things in a day, and he declared joy, from the Hebrew gîyl, which means the height of joy, exultation that leads us to dance due to the intensity of rejoicing, and joy, from the Hebrew sâmach, which means to be illuminated, joyful, and cheered.

These are the things we are also called to do every day. We can see how important it is not only to discern our time and season but also to pray and declare to impose God’s will in our lives and families, following the direction of the Holy Spirit, in faith in Jesus Christ.

This text is an excerpt from the book “TIME and CIRCUMSTANCES: Learning to count our days correctly” written by Dr. Rhema Divin Ngoy.