Biblical Meditation : Does anyone have any tips, guidelines, suggestions on how to meditate. I've never done it before and have been reading and hearing about it more and more. Meditating on God and God's Word. What is "Meditating" and how do you do it? My one desire is to be close to God in every way that I possibly can. Somehow I feel my prayers are lacking and was hoping this may be my answer. Any suggestions are more than welcome. : Thank you all, and God Bless! : ShyLynne Worldly meditation is emptying your mind and focusing on an object or mantra (the name of an Indian god in Sanskrit repeated over and over). This is not what is meant by godly meditation, which is taking a portion of scripture and meditating on that day and night. Another word for meditate is "ruminate" and that means literally "to chew the cud", as a cow does to complete the digestion of food. Meditate means to think contemplatively, to ponder, to consider, reflecting upon, to study, and to muse about. Proverbs 2:1-6 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Meditation of the Word involves accepting it, reading it, memorizing it and allowing it to do its work in your life. The Word says that God's Word does NOT return to him void, but accomplishes all of His purposes. Meditation involves an application of the Word and a dependence on God for the understanding. Jewels don’t normally lay on the surface of the ground, you have to dig deep for them. You need to dig for the treasures of the Word as well. Biblical meditation is ACTIVELY searching for the hidden gems of wisdom in God’s Word. As you prayerfully meditate on a passage of Scripture ask the Holy Spirit to bring you light on its meaning and place in your spiritual walk. And ask such questions as: What does this mean in my life? How can I put this into effect? Is there a command here I need to follow, a promise I need to claim, a victory I can shout over? I also find that it is sometimes helpful in finding the complete meaning of a passage to look at its opposite. For example, when Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest..." the opposite would be if you don't come to Jesus you won't find true rest. The more of the Word that you put into your heart, the more you will be able to ruminate or chew over and digest in those quiet times - or times that normally would be wasted through worry or stress. Meditation helps us assimilate the Word, as digestion helps our body assimilate food, only there is never any waste! I also have learned to lean on the Holy Spirit when I need an answer. Instead of stressing out about it, I present my question or request to the Lord, and then leave it there. In His timing, the Scriptures/information comes flooding into my mind, and sometimes I can hardly type fast enough to get it all down. This is the end result of faithful meditation on the Word - when you need an answer, the Holy Spirit can often quicken what is already stored in your heart and mind. Scriptures on Biblical Meditation: The world meditate is only found once in the New Testament, although the basic concept is found in other passages: 1 Timothy 4:15 (KJV) Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 1 Timothy 4:15 (NIV) Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. To meditate in Greek is meletao {mel-et-ah'-o} meaning 1) to care for, attend to carefully, practice 2) to meditate i.e. to devise, contrive 2a) used of the Greeks of the meditative pondering and the practice of orators and rhetoricians. So meditation also involves attending carefully to the Word, pondering, thinking or musing upon it, and then putting it into practice. Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Here we are told what kinds of things to think about or meditate upon, and the promise is that if we meditate upon and put these things into practice, the God of peace will be with us. II Timothy 2:7 "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this." Here reflect in the Greek is noeo {no-eh'-o} meaning to perceive with the mind, to understand, to have understanding, to think upon, heed, ponder, consider. Apparently even Timothy had trouble at times understanding what Paul was talking about, and Paul tells him to ponder, consider, reflect or meditate on what Paul had written and that the LORD would give him insight into the meaning of the Word. The Old Testament has more to say about meditation than the New Testament. Although we are no longer under Old Testament Law, of course, the principles of meditating on God’s Word are the same. Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the 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. Here we have the promise of God that meditation and obedience on His Word will bring prosperity and success. This verse specifically applies to the Law of Moses, which we of the New Covenant are no longer under, but generally applies as well to all of God’s Word. Law in Hebrew is towrah {to-raw'} or torah {to-raw'} meaning law, direction, instruction (human or divine), body of prophetic teaching, instruction in Messianic age, body of priestly direction or instruction, body of legal directives, law, law of the burnt offering, of special law, codes of law, custom, manner, the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law. Law can refer not only to the first five books of Moses commonly known as Torah, but to any law, direction, instruction, body of prophetic teaching, either Old Testament or New Testament. Psalms 1:2 (NIV) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Meditate here and in Joshua 1:8 in the Hebrew is hagah {daw-gaw'} a primitive root meaning 1) to moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to roar, growl, groan 1a2) to utter, speak 1a3) to meditate, devise, muse, imagine 1b) (Poal) to utter 1c) (Hiphil) to mutter. This is the root word for hagiyg and higgayown, see below. Sometimes our meditations come out of a heart of sorrow and we do moan and growl to God! This is OK, God can take it. If you read the psalms, many of them are complaints to God. By taking your problems to God and meditating on His Word, you WILL find answers. Psalms 5:1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Meditation here in the Hebrew is hagiyg {haw-gheeg'} meaning whispering, musing, murmuring. I often read the Word aloud and talk to the Lord about it, murmuring to myself. (My hubby is used to this! LOL). So here the psalmist is meditating audibly to the Lord, murmuring, whispering and musing to the Lord about what is on his heart. Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Here meditation in Hebrew is higgayown {hig-gaw-yone'} meaning meditation, resounding music, musing. We have the same idea here of communicating with God, with your heart. And it has the connotation of making music in your heart to the Lord. Or in other words, meditation on the Word is like music to God’s ears! This same thought is found in Ephesians, where Paul tells us: Ephesians 5:18-20 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here being filled with the Spirit is connected with making melody in your heart to the Lord and giving thanks – a product of meditation. Psalms 49:3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. Here meditation is haguwth {haw-gooth'} again meaning meditation, utterance, musing from the heart. Jesus said from the heart the mouth speaks. So when you have the Word in your heart, and meditate upon it, the understanding will come out of your mouth – your utterance – as well. Colossians 2:2-3 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Paul also connects wisdom and understanding with being encouraged in your heart and being able to know the mystery of God, which is Christ. What a verse to meditate upon! Mark 12:29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' How do you love the Lord with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind? One way is by meditating and dedicating yourself to understanding the wisdom and knowledge of God. Proverbs 3:1-6 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Here’s another passage that promises if you keep God’s commands in your heart, along with love and faithfulness, you will have long life and prosperity, favor and a good name with both man and God. When we meditate on God’s Word we do not lean on our own understanding, or depend on human reasoning or logic, but we rest confidently in God’s wisdom and He will direct us in the right way to go. Psalms 104:34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. The word here for meditation is siyach {see'-akh} meaning meditation, complaint, musing, a plaint. This word has the connotation of having complaints, anxieties or troubles which are lifted to God, and the meditation on His greatness is sweet and brings gladness. This would be a great psalm to meditate upon as well! Psalms 119:97, 99 O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. The word here for meditation is siychah {see-khaw'} meaning meditation, reflection, prayer, devotion, complaint, musing, study (of object). This connotes studying the Word, reflecting on it, praying about it, being devoted to it, and musing about it all day. Notice two effects of meditation mentioned here: brings a greater love for God and His Word, and more understanding. So Biblical meditation involves taking a passage of Scripture, mulling over it, pondering it, seeking understanding from the Holy Spirit, actively contemplating it, even muttering it audibly, and then putting it into practice. ********************************************************************************* All files c1999 Karleen E. Page, All Rights Reserved. ONE copy may be printed or copied to your PC for personal use only. Please email karleenp@earthlink.net for any other permissions. Thank You. Posted at "Ask OldTimer" www.members.tripod.com/~KarleenP/text/askoldtimer.htm