The act of meditation allows us to move beyond the place where our mind thinks from a purely reflexive frame and into a deeper state of awareness that leads to discernment and a clearer understanding of God's Word and its application to our personal life. It requires focus and the willingness to strip away the busyness of our mind in order to concentrate completely on the Word, listening for the voice of God as He speaks to our heart.
Nowhere in Scripture are we mandated to meditate. There is no specific command from God regarding the practice, though surely we are called to live in a constant state of prayerfulness. Meditation, like so many Christian disciplines, is a suggestion-- a good idea that will prove itself useful in our walk with the Lord. It is important that we guard against allowing Satan to unload false guilt upon us if we do not practice the art of meditation, for he loves nothing more than to beat up a well-intentioned saint whenever possible. If, however, you are interested in cultivating this faith habit, I would like to offer the following suggestions, which I call "The 5 R's of Meditation."
R- Read
R- Research
R- Relate
R- Record
R- Rest
READ the Scriptures: The first step is to remove external distractions (turn off the T.V., stereo, or remove anything else that might draw our focus away from the scripture we are choosing), get comfortable (no one can concentrate if they are physically uncomfortable), and choose a passage of scripture that is meaningful to you for that day. Read the scripture passage through (preferably aloud) at least three times, underlining/highlighting particular words or phrases that are significant to you.
RESEARCH the meaning of the words: Choose specific words within the scripture passage that are "weighted" with meaning. If you have a hard time determining them, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal key words to you and wait patiently for His direction. Once you've decided upon a few words, write them down leaving ample space by each one for a clear definition of the word. Obtain the definitions from a solid dictionary (I always suggest the Noah Webster's 1828 Edition of the American Dictionary of the English Language) and fill in the empty space(s) you've left. Using a good thesaurus, look up synonyms (words with the same meaning) and antonyms (words of opposite meaning) of each word you've chosen until you feel you have a clear understanding of each. Now, re-read the passage inserting those synonyms as you read.
RELATE the scripture you've chosen to other scriptures in the Bible: Determine one or two words (a core idea or term) that you think best describes the passage you've read. With your Concordance, locate at least 3 or 4 other scriptures that speak of the same concept. Read each one aloud, substituting your synonyms wherever appropriate.
RECORD your personal insights: Once you've gotten a clear understanding of the meaning of the passage you have chosen, ask the Holy Spirit to provide you with His insights concerning its application to you, personally. Wait quietly for His voice, then write down any ideas He shares with you. When you feel so led, read through all of your insights aloud.
REST in His faithfulness: In complete silence, think over all you've read, researched, related, and recorded. Sit patiently, quietly, and with the firm knowledge that God has increased your wisdom and discernment. Let these new revelations become embedded into your heart. Breathe deeply and relax your body during this time. Allow the Spirit of God to flow unimpeded through you. This final step of rest will last until you feel moved by the Lord to end your time of meditation by the verbal expression of thanks, praise, and worship of Almighty God. You may want to finish by singing a praise chorus or favorite hymn to the Father.
The act of meditation is a time of spiritual awakening and strengthening through the movement of the Holy Spirit and in line with the Word of God. You will feel energized and empowered by this practice (when you make it a regular habit) and will look forward to those times when you can "draw close to God" knowing that He in turn will "draw close to you." (see James 4:8) So, don't despair if you can't sit cross-legged. Don't go rummaging through the attic looking for the tie-dyed shirt you wore in high school. Don't worry about not having any incense to light. You only need one thing: The Holy Bible. Whether on a hillside or in the chair of your living room, God will speak... if you will listen.
"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." (Psalm 1:1-2)
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