“1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither”
Throughout our journey over the past three weeks in adopting the various means of grace, we come to the final discipline which we will cover, namely, meditation. In essence, Christian meditation entails both intently focusing on God and His Word and being mindful of His presence throughout the day. In practice, most of the spiritual disciplines which we have adopted throughout the past three weeks entail meditation, or can be used in the practice thereof. Before we look at the various practical ways by which we can practice meditation, let us look at what Scripture has to say about meditation.
What is Christian meditation?
Judeo-Christian meditation, as opposed to the practices in eastern meditation, focuses on filling ourselves as opposed to emptying ourselves. In many of the eastern philosophies and religions, the focus in meditation is to empty oneself of desire and to become in tune with oneself and the world around them. The goal of Judeo-Christian meditation is to become more in tune with the voice of God, thereby filling ourselves in His truth and immersing ourselves in His presence so that we may be able to radiate Him more clearly to those around us.
The primary means by which we can learn to hear God and know His thoughts is through Scripture. As such, meditation entails focusing on the words of God recorded in Scripture. The Old Testament uses two terms with regards to meditation: “Siach” – which means “to go over a matter in one’s mind”, and “Hagah” – to read in a low voice. The former is the practice of mindfulness throughout one’s day, whereas the latter refers to a still, focused reading of Scripture for the sake of “hearing” the Word. In both cases, it entails allowing the Word to dwell in the forefronts of our minds so that it may take root in our hearts.
Why should we meditate?
As we meditate on God’s Word, we give room for it to dwell richly in our hearts. Unlike other meditative disciplines, it is not invoking a mantra – it is in fact, wrestling with the Word, thinking intently and deeply about it, pondering its meaning and how one can best live in light of it. When we meditate, we focus in on God’s thoughts recorded for us so that we may be able to better learn to hear his voice. Sheep are able to hear their shepherd’s voice, so too through meditation on the Word, one is able to grow more in tune with the nature of God – the tambour of His voice, if you will – and thereby better recognise His promptings through the Holy Spirit throughout the day. Moreover, as we meditate, we allow the Word to penetrate the deeper recesses of our minds and hearts, so that lies may be identified and so that truth may take deeper root.
How should we meditate?
While prayer involves us making our thoughts known to God, meditation on the other hand entails God making His thoughts known to us. It thus requires a posture of stillness and focus. Our meditation can be spontaneous, but it should move past spontaneous promptings into a regular practice of silence and solitude, with an eager expectation that God indeed desires to communicate to us. As mentioned above, there are many ways by which one can practice meditation.
Lectio Divina
As you would recall in a previous article, Lectio Divina is the practice of prayerful Scripture reading. In essence, it is the perfect starting point for meditating on God’s Word. As one stills themselves and with an open heart, asks God to speak to them through His Word, one is able to deeply engage with the thoughts of God in a very personal manner. As you take time to meditate on His Word, it can be useful to jot down the thoughts which come to mind in your journal and to revisit them later during the day or the week. Lectio Divina is the start of the conversation, so to say, whereas meditation involves keeping it going throughout the day and the week.
Silence and Solitude
To effectively meditate and focus on God’s voice through Scripture, one must embrace time to be alone and still before Him. Our devotional times are often referred to as “quiet times”, but in addition to seeking to be alone with God without distractions, meditation calls us to quieten our hearts and our minds, and instead to focus intently on whom God is, what He is saying, and what He has communicated to us through Scripture.
Physical Walking
Physical walking is another great way to meditate. The rhythmic aspect of walking coupled with immersing oneself in nature allows us to enter into a more meditative state with much more ease. As we take time in our weeks to draw away to be alone with God through walking, we will find that we will naturally tend to mull over certain thoughts, words or ideas which have arisen out of our times with the Lord in His Word or through prayer.