Biblical Meditation: Understanding The True Meaning Of "Meditate

The Bible uses the word meditate to refer to the act of focusing one's thoughts on a specific topic, often a passage of Scripture, in order to reflect on its meaning and significance in one's life. This practice, known as biblical meditation, involves quietly contemplating certain verses and seeking to understand how they relate to one's personal situation and one's understanding of God. It is an important spiritual discipline that helps believers draw closer to God, deepen their faith, and find guidance in their lives.

Biblical meditation is pondering the words of Scripture with a receptive heart, trusting the Holy Spirit to work through those words

Biblical meditation is a spiritual exercise focused on Scripture. It involves pondering the words of Scripture with a receptive heart, trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal God's truth and transform one's life. Here are four to six paragraphs elaborating on this definition:

Biblical meditation is distinct from other forms of meditation, such as transcendental meditation or mindfulness. Instead of focusing on oneself or trying to achieve inner peace, biblical meditation is centred on God and His Word, the Bible. It involves deliberately quieting one's heart and contemplating specific Bible passages, seeking to understand and apply their meaning in one's life.

The word "meditate" in the Bible is translated from two Hebrew words in the Old Testament: "hâgâh" and "siyach". "Hâgâh" implies more than just silent reflection; it means "to whisper or murmur", suggesting that reading was often done aloud in biblical times. "Siyach", on the other hand, means "to lovingly rehearse or go over in one's mind", and can be done either aloud or silently. Together, these words convey the idea of pondering and vocalizing Scripture repeatedly, absorbing oneself in God's Word.

Biblical meditation involves actively engaging with Scripture, reflecting on its meaning, and applying it to one's life. It is a devotional practice that helps one to know God better, love Him more, and experience closer communion with Him. By meditating on God's Word, one can gain a deeper understanding of His works, ways, purposes, and promises. This, in turn, shapes one's inner life and outward behaviour, transforming one into the likeness of Christ.

Meditation is often accompanied by prayer, Bible memory, and reading. It may include asking questions such as "What is this saying to me about my life and situation?" or "What is this saying about God?". Through meditation, one can lift their heart in communion with God, personalising the truths found in His Word. It is a means of drawing closer to God, deepening one's relationship with Him, and aligning one's life with His will.

Meditation on Scripture is a vital practice for maturing in the Christian life. It is not enough to simply read or study the Bible; one must also ponder and reflect on its meaning. By meditating on God's Word, one can gain spiritual strength, wisdom, and guidance for their daily life. It is a discipline that requires a receptive heart and trust in the Holy Spirit to illuminate and transform one through the power of God's Word.

Biblical meditation is not about emptying your mind, but about filling it with the Word of God

The Bible uses the word "meditate" or "meditation" 23 times, 19 of which are in the Book of Psalms. In the Old Testament, the word for meditation is the Hebrew word "hâgâh", which means to whisper or murmur, and "siyach", which means to lovingly rehearse or go over in one's mind. In the New Testament, the word "meditate" is found less frequently, and is often replaced with words like "think" or "consider".

Biblical meditation is not about emptying the mind, but about filling it with the Word of God. It is a spiritual exercise focused on Scripture, where one deliberately quiets the heart and contemplates certain verses, asking: "What is this saying to me about my life and situation?" or "What is this saying about God?". It is an act of pondering, reflecting, and thinking deeply about the Word of God, and it often includes prayer and Bible memory.

The focus of biblical meditation is on God, His glory, majesty, ways, and works in the world. Its intended effect is to shape one's inner life and outward behavior. By meditating on the Word of God, we are able to understand His will and ways, and this knowledge leads to a deeper relationship with Him. Meditation is not just about reading or studying the Bible, but about reflecting and thinking deeply about its meaning in the context of God's love.

Meditation on the Word of God is a vital practice for maturing in the Christian life. It is a means of communion with God, a way to know Him better, love Him more, and experience His presence. Through meditation, we are able to receive guidance, correction, encouragement, and teaching from the Holy Spirit.

By meditating on the Word of God, we fill our minds with His truth, which helps us to keep ourselves from evil and to navigate life's challenges. It is a way to guard our hearts and ensure that everything we do flows from a place of alignment with God's will.

Biblical meditation is not about focusing on yourself, but on God, His glory, and majesty

Biblical meditation is distinct from other forms of meditation. While other types of meditation may focus on emptying the mind or achieving inner peace, biblical meditation is about filling the mind with thoughts of God and His glory. It involves pondering the words of Scripture, reflecting on their meaning, and trusting the Holy Spirit to work through those words.

Biblical meditation is not about focusing on oneself but on God and His majesty. It is a devotional practice that helps us know God better, love Him more, and experience closer communion with Him. Theologian J.I. Packer describes it as "the activity of calling to mind, thinking over, dwelling on, and applying to oneself the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God." It is an act of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God and with His help.

Biblical meditation involves deliberately quieting the heart and contemplating specific Bible verses. It is a form of prayer in which we reflect upon the revelations of God and His Word. The focus is on God, His glory, and majesty, and His works in the world. By meditating on Scripture, we seek to understand how God is speaking to us, what He is communicating to us, and how we can apply it to our lives.

Meditation on God's Word is an ancient practice and has long been a vital component of a vibrant relationship with God. It is not about achieving a calm state of mind or finding truth within ourselves but about focusing on God and His truth. It is about knowing God, growing in grace, and being transformed into His likeness. By meditating on Scripture, we fill our minds with thoughts of God, reflect on His glory and majesty, and deepen our relationship with Him.

Biblical meditation is not the same as Eastern meditation, which is an inner journey to find the centre of one's being

The word "meditate" appears more than 20 times in the Bible, and the practice has been carried out by God's people for thousands of years. Biblical meditation is not the same as Eastern meditation, which is often associated with Hinduism and Buddhism. While both practices are called "meditation," they are fundamentally different.

Eastern meditation is an inner journey to find the centre of one's being, a state of transcendence that relies on the belief that every person is inherently good. It involves focusing on the self to find peace and tranquility. In contrast, biblical meditation is about concentrating the mind and heart upon God and His Word. It involves chewing on Scripture, reflecting on and memorising verses, and allowing God's Word to transform one's mind and heart.

The focus of biblical meditation is God, as seen in Psalm 1:1-2, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." The Bible commands Christians to meditate on God's Word, His law, precepts, decrees, and promises. This act of meditating on Scripture is a form of spiritual discipline that aligns our hearts with God.

The posture during meditation also differs between the two practices. Eastern meditation typically involves sitting cross-legged or in specific positions, while biblical meditation is not concerned with physical posture. Instead, it focuses on the posture of the heart, emphasising the importance of a receptive and expectant attitude towards God and His Word.

Furthermore, Eastern meditation does not acknowledge a Creator God or the need for a saviour. It teaches that individuals can attain godhood or spiritual freedom through their own efforts. On the other hand, biblical meditation acknowledges dependence on the triune God of the Bible, recognising the need for a saviour and the transformative power of God's Word.

In summary, while the term "meditation" is used in both contexts, biblical meditation and Eastern meditation differ significantly in their focus, posture, and worldview. Biblical meditation centres on God and His Word, seeking to align one's heart and mind with Scripture, while Eastern meditation focuses on the self, seeking inner peace and transcendence.

Biblical meditation is not a solitary practice, but is aided by the Holy Spirit, who helps us to understand Scripture

The Bible uses several Hebrew and Greek words that translate to the English word "meditate", including "hâgâh", "siyach", "suach", "meletaō", and "logizomai". Biblical meditation is not about emptying the mind or achieving inner peace, but rather, it is about pondering or reflecting upon the words of Scripture with a receptive heart. This involves carefully considering and focusing attention on specific verses, asking how they apply to one's life and situation, and what they reveal about God.

Biblical meditation is not a solitary practice but is aided by the Holy Spirit, who helps believers to understand Scripture. The Spirit of Christ guides believers in their reading and study of the Bible, and meditation provides a further opportunity for God to teach, correct, encourage, and guide them through His Word. Believers are called to approach their meditation with expectant faith, trusting that God will speak to them through Scripture and give them what they need.

Meditation on Scripture is a vital practice for maturing in the Christian life and has been commended by godly leaders throughout history. It is a means of knowing God better, growing in grace, and fulfilling His purposes. By meditating on God's Word, believers can receive spiritual strength and be transformed into Christlikeness.

Meditation is not an esoteric practice that requires special techniques but is rather an activity that is straightforward and accessible to every believer. It involves reading Scripture, pondering its meaning, and applying it to one's life. This can be done through various methods such as Lectio Divina, prayer, memorization, and contemplation.

By meditating on Scripture, believers can experience communion with God, gain spiritual strength, and be guided by the Holy Spirit in their understanding and application of His Word.

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