There’s an old saying, prayer is talking to God and meditation is listening. We need to do both. God’s word, the Holy Scriptures, is what we need to be meditating on if we want to be renewed. Meditation is different than reading simply reading through the Bible. Meditation is about being fully present with God’s word. It’s a Holy expectancy that creates a space for the truth to sink deep into our souls through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Meditation, for me, has been one of the most difficult disciplines that I have undertaken. My mind does not naturally quiet itself and I have a hard time being still. This is all the more reason why it’s so important for me to meditate. I need it! So do you. We all do!

I like to think of meditation as sitting quietly with Jesus. Revelation 3:20 says,

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

What a beautiful truth that is. I don’t think it’s only referring to an initial salvation, either. We need to eat every day. And every day, we can invite Jesus to come and dine with us, nourishing our souls with the bread of truth that comes from the word.

How can we meditate on God’s word? See what works for you, but I’ll offer 10 suggestions that may help.

1. Start with small increments of time (maybe 5 minutes) and slowly work your way up to longer periods

2. Find a quiet spot and be still

3. Play some calming music

4. Read a verse and let the meaning of it sit with you

5. Journal your connections and observations

6. Take some deep breaths, slow down your breathing, and relax

7. Take a phrase or a word from the verse you read say it to yourself several times

8. Be gentle with yourself. Your thoughts will likely drift to your “to-do” list, just re-direct them back to the phase or word you chose

9. Think on who God is and let his goodness overwhelm you

10. Let the Holy Spirit lead you.

Christian meditation is not about emptying your mind as some people might think. It’s about letting the word of God dwell in us, transforming and renewing our minds as we let it take root in our hearts.

“Without meditation, the truths of God will not stay with us. The heart is hard, and the memory slippery—and without meditation all is lost! As an hammer drives a nail to the head—so meditation drives a truth to the heart.”

– Thomas Watson

I pray that you will be blessed as you meditate upon God’s word.

Each Friday, as part of the Sabbath series, I’ll have a short interview to share with you. I’ve invited a few friends to share what Sabbath means to them, how they observe it, and any words of wisdom they have.

This week, I’m happy to introduce the lovely Deb Wolf, who you may already know from her writing at Counting My Blessings.

To download today's PDF click HERE

If you would like to participate in today's online discussion, perhaps you could tell us what you've been learning from your Bible reading this week.

SABBATH: Meditation