Awhile back my husband and I were flipping channels on TV and ran across a program about bettering yourself. Along with eating healthy and exercise, they said to meditate. We watched the entire segment devoted to meditation. They went to top experts to determine how to do this. Their best advice was to do mindless things like climb stairs to meditate. Clear your mind.
I know from being with the Lord that we are supposed to meditate... but not in this way.
I came home determined to become an expert on meditation. I first looked up all the verses in the Bible that mentioned meditation. Lord, speak to us through your word!
Genesis 24:63 Isaac goes out into the field in the evening to meditate. Rebecca, his future wife that he has been waiting for, comes up just as he looks up.
Joshua 1:8-9 Do not let this Book of 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 be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
Psalm 48:9 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Psalm 77:11-12 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago, 12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Psalm 119:15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
Psalm 119:23 Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.
Psalm 119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.
Psalm 119:48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.
Psalm 119:78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.
Psalm 119:97-100 97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.
Psalm 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
Psalm 143:5 5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. 6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Psalm 145:5 5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. Meditation causes the psalmist to tell of God’s awesome works. It causes praise and adoration. It is the opposite of disillusionment and indifference.
Psalm 39:3 3 My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: 4 “Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.”
Psalm 1:2 1 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. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers,”
Psalm 19:12-14 12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 104:34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD.
Reading all this, I determine to choose a scripture to meditate on. Bill Johnson says that when we steward well what the Lord has already given us, the Lord gives us fresh revelation. He said that he did an experiment. He told everyone at a prayer meeting to focus on one attribute of God…his love, his mercy, his compassion…just one attribute. And while he played some worship music, they would praise him for just that one attribute. Afterwards, he interviewed them. Each one said that after a few minutes of praising God they ran out of new things to praise about that attribute. The moment they ran out, the moment they gave him everything they had concerning that one thing, that is the moment God gave them fresh revelation on that attribute.
In the same message he talks about familiar passages of scripture. The danger in the familiarity is that we think we know that scripture. He took Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
…Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life…
Meditating on this, you can be encouraged that there is an angel called “goodness” and an angel called “mercy” that are following you around all the days of your life. You can look behind you at any moment and know they are there. You can know that, because the Lord is your shepherd, you will never want for anything. Wow. That’s what it says.
Read it. Meditate on it. Don’t clear your mind. FILL IT WITH HIM! Fill it with his word! Believe what you are reading!
Are you discouraged? Are you in need? Are you hurt? Angry? Think on him. Ask him for a passage, a verse that you need. Then listen. He is speaking to you. Focus on the verse, on what he is saying in it. The Bible is an ancient text that is still so relevant for you... individually... today. He’s wanting to tell you something. Something personal. Something that will more than get you through whatever you’re going through. Something that will meet your needs. Something that will draw you nearer to him.
To his heart. He wants your heart. He loves you. Oh how he loves you.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
At different times, each of these verses have had special places for me.
Maybe they’ll be somewhere for you to start. Just start. Enjoy the journey. And let me know how it's going. I love to hear from you!
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
1 Corinthians 14:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen
No ear has heard,
No mind has conceived
What God has prepared for those who love him”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you
in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything.
Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
The Psalms are a great place to start. If you don’t know what else to read, begin in the Psalms and read until you find your heart there.
I browsed this post last night just before bed. When I awoke this morning, I set out to meditate, as you suggested. It makes such a huge difference to be in His presence at the start of each day. I cannot justify why I skip this step more often than I embrace it. I take comfort in James 4:8, my life verse: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. The Message version of this verse reads, "Say a quiet 'Yes' to God and he'll be there in no time." Praise the Lord, that he knows well His children and stretches his arms to receive us without question.
ReplyDeleteKeep posting! It makes a difference to share what Christ is doing in your life.
Katie, love your comment! Very encouraging! I said, "Yes!" to God long ago myself & don't look back! I've never regretted it!
ReplyDelete