Do you ever wonder why you do not sense more of God’s presence in your life? You find yourself increasingly anxious about the things of this world and increasingly disinterested in the things of God. One possible explanation could be your relationship with God’s Word. Understanding and enjoying biblical meditation can lead us out of such spiritual dryness.
Sometimes, we can be too legalistic in our approach to reading Scripture. We assume that our primary purpose in reading the Bible is to learn what we must do for God. But this approach will soon crush us because we cannot uphold the responsibility of godly living by our works. This posture will gradually turn Bible reading into a joyless chore.
The gospel invites us to come to Scripture to understand more of what God has done for us in Christ. The primary purpose is to meet the Lord Jesus Christ, not to encounter rules and commands. The gospel teaches us that our obedience is motivated by Christ’s love for us and empowered by the Holy Spirit alive in us.
So, how do we meet Jesus in Scripture like this? One way is by recovering the lost art of Bible meditation.
What is Biblical Meditation?
Indian culture teaches that meditation means to empty the mind. The picture in our imaginations is likely of a religious person sitting on the floor in a reverential pose, surrounded by incense, repeatedly reciting the same thing.
But biblical meditation is the opposite. It does not require a particular pose or place. Neither is it a passive experience. In fact, it is an active posture that employs the heart and mind. Instead of emptying our minds, biblical meditation teaches us to fill our minds with the precious Word of God.
Biblical Imagery for Meditation
The Bible offers two different images to characterise the practice of meditation. Both are close to home in the Indian context.
The first image is of a cow chewing the cud. Stray cows are a familiar sight on many of our roads in India. The Bible teaches that meditating on God’s Word is like a cow filling its stomach with grass or plants and later finding a comfortable spot to bring back the cud to chew.
The second image depicts an ageing man or woman walking on the street and mumbling to themselves. They are likely thinking aloud about an earlier conversation or engrossed in thought. These two images capture the biblical idea of meditation.
Psalm 1 says “blessed” is the person who delights in the law of the Lord day and night. In Psalm 119, an ode to Bible meditation, the Psalmist says, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word” (Ps. 119:15-16).
Biblical meditation means contemplating and pondering. It means delighting and savouring. It means tasting and seeing God’s goodness through his Word. Biblical meditation is thinking deeply about Christ and what he has done for us.
Two Practices that Encourage Bible Meditation
Enjoying God’s Word has the power to change us. So, how do we unlock the Bible’s transformative power through practising biblical meditation? Here are two simple ways to incorporate meditation into your devotional time with God.
1. Listen with Your Eyes, Read with a Pen
If we read Scripture in a hurry, we can quickly forget what we just read. But if you want Scripture to take root in your heart, read it slowly. And as you read, observe the text. What is the author saying? Are there any rare or repeated words? Do you notice connecting words that reveal purpose, give reason, or provide emphasis? What is God teaching you from this passage?
As you listen with your eyes, read with a pen. Use a journal to write down what you observe and learn. An active posture in reading Scripture helps us cherish God’s Word more so it can take deep root in our hearts and form us into the likeness of Christ.
2. See Jesus in the Word, Pray Scripture in Your Heart
Before applying Scripture, consider how the passage leads you to Christ and what he has accomplished for you. How does Jesus obey commands on your behalf? How is Jesus the hero of this story? In what ways do you encounter the promise of Christ in the passage?
As we learn to read Scripture through the lens of Christ, God’s Word becomes more about God and less about us. Our obedience is not motivated by what we must do for God but by what he has done for us in Christ and what strength he has supplied us through his Spirit.
A simple approach for meditating and praying through Scripture is the ACTS method. Consider these steps as you read through a passage:
- Adoration. Write down aspects of God’s character from the passage as a way to cherish and worship the Lord.
- Confession. As you read the passage, write down areas of your heart and life where the Holy Spirit is prompting you to repent.
- Thanksgiving. Thank Jesus for how he accomplishes salvation and redemption in light of this passage.
- Supplication. Use the passage to direct your prayers as you humbly ask God to answer your requests, delighting in God through his Word.
If reading the Bible is not moving you to genuine and heartfelt prayer, you are missing out on the blessing God intends for you. Meditation is the missing link between Bible reading and prayer. Biblical meditation moves and melts your heart to adore God, confess sin, thank Jesus, and pray in the Spirit.
Bible meditation turns reading God’s Word from duty into delight. Meditate during your time with God. Practice biblical meditation with friends in your community. May your heart echo with the psalmist who says “he has filled my heart with joy and gladness” (Ps. 4:7).
