Biblical Meditation

When I was in high school I was introduced to the writings of Francis Schaeffer, A. W. Tower and the non fiction books of C.S. Lewis. I remember starting “Mere Christianity” and getting about a page in before I had to stop. I think that was the first time I had read something so deep that my mind told me I couldn’t go further in the book until I chewed on that a while. A few days later I read a bit more and had to stop again to think about what he wrote. The circuits in my brain were overloaded. I didn’t know it then, but I was beginning to learn about what Biblical meditation was all about as I thought about what I read, chewed on it and found deeper truths.

The Bible actually mentions meditation quite a bit, but it’s different than today’s meditation. Instead of emptying your mind, you’re filling it with God’s Word and breaking it down. Part of what God told Joshua in how he would find success was to meditate and study. In Joshua 1:8 He said, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do” (NLT). David, who was Israel’s most famous king did these things. He studied God’s Word and meditated on it day and night. He knew what God had said and how to apply it to his life. He hid it in his heart so that he wouldn’t sin or stray.

The book of Psalms starts out with David writing, “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalms 1:1-3). This kind of meditation is about focusing your thoughts on it to discern it’s deeper meaning. How often do you read God’s Word that way? Find a verse or passage like this one in Psalm 1 and spend the day thinking about what it means. Who are the “wicked, sinners and mockers” around you trying to draw you in? What does a “tree planted along the riverbank” look like? Ask questions about what you’re reading, research it and think deeper about God’s Word. If you want a deeper relationship with Him, start meditating on the Bible.