In March of 2019, our church is reading through Psalm 119 each day. To complete it, we’ll look at 5-6 verses each day of the month. Our emphasis, however, is not just upon reading it. Our goal is to improve in the time-honored and biblical commanded discipline of meditating upon God’s Word.
That very Psalm declares:
Psalms 119:12-16(KJV) Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. 13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much asin all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
It also says…
Psalms 119:44-48(KJV) So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. 45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. 46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. 47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. 48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.
Many Christians read God’s Word consistently. Our goal is to live the Word and declare the Word among the nations that people would come to know God in Christ! Some of us even sing the Word! But most have not learned to sit quietly and mediate upon the Scriptures.
Simply put, meditating upon the Word is, with the Holy Spirit’s help, the act of intentionally focusing one’s mind upon the Words of the Bible for the purposes of greater understanding, obedience, and worship. It is one tool the follower of Christ uses to better know the heart of the LORD.
Mediation isn’t rushed. It isn’t a daily checked box so we can move on to other things. But it also isn’t some sort of mystical trance. It is prayerfully turning God’s precepts over and over in one’s mind and heart until His truth is grasped at a greater level. It is training the mind to think more like the LORD thinks. It is to desire the mind of Christ! (1 Cor 2:16)
This is a good article with some wonderful definitions and quotes, including from J.I. Packer, whose book Knowing God we read in February 2019:
Here is another article, a bit more involved, that helps us distinguish the difference between biblical mediation and other forms of (unbiblical) mediation:
May March 2019 be the start of a new part of your journey in Jesus!
Sola Scriptura…Solus Christus!
