Meditation

I was recently reading through the Psalms and I noted the frequent use of the word “meditate”. For example, in Psalm 1:1-2 we read

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

So what does it mean to “meditate” day and night? For many of us, when we think of meditation, this picture comes to mind.



So if this is how you meditate, just exactly how can I do this “day and night”? I have work to do, a family to support, church events to attend, and maybe squeeze in some sleep.

Meditation is frequently associated with Buddhism and other Eastern religions where the practice typically has specific rituals requiring certain body positions and repeated words or phrases. The purpose of this type of meditation is to get oneself into a mystical state of relaxation and enlightenment during which truths about your true nature and purpose can be revealed. This type of meditation has been adapted for use by many people in non-religious contexts either in groups or personal pursuit of the meaning of life. To be honest, if I tried this approach, my conclusion would likely be that my purpose is to sleep.

Christian meditation is dramatically different not only in the approach but also the purpose. There are no specific rituals, body positions, or repeated phrases needed to meditate. And the purpose is not to discover something about ourselves, but to stimulate our thoughts and deepen our meaning about what God has revealed to us in Scripture.

So how should a Christian meditate? I’m definitely not an expert, but I think the following points should get you started.

First, meditation needs to be deliberate. It’s not daydreaming, or quickly racing through a daily Bible reading, or mindlessly singing along to some Christian music on your iPod. So set aside a specific time to mediate, don’t let it be an afterthought.

Second, meditation needs to be Spirit led. This means starting your time in prayer, asking God to guide your thoughts as you seek to know Him more. Do your best to keep distractions away from you, and don’t try to meditate if something on your mind is bothering you – you’ll inevitably find yourself focusing on the problem instead of on God.

Third, meditation needs to be Biblically based. You should plan to focus on a specific verse, chapter, or story from the Bible. Have the passage handy, or better yet, memorize it. You don’t need to know it word for word, but you should know it well. It could be the lyrics to a praise and worship song, or it could be a segment of video.

Finally, don’t expect life altering results every time you meditate. Sometimes God doesn’t reveal anything new to us, other times we experience breakthroughs in our understanding of Him. Sometimes the answer is one we don’t need to know. If it feels like meditation is not getting you closer to God, don’t give up – contact a friend to work with you.

There are no limits on when, where, or how long you meditate. Sometimes it just for a few moments, sometimes much longer. Sometimes it’s a planned event, other times it might just be taking advantage of a long wait at the doctor’s office.

We don’t talk about meditation very much in our church, and I don’t recall anyone giving me any guidance on how to meditate or why meditation is important. I think this may be due to the misconceptions people have about meditation being a “Buddhist” or “New Age” thing. But we will frequently remind each other to “listen for God’s voice” or “reflect on this message” or “wait for God’s answer to prayer”. If what we actually mean is that we should meditate, maybe we should start using the word “meditate” more often?

I think I’ll meditate on that for while.

Jac