Meditation

This year our pastor has been preaching through a variety of spiritual disciplines and he’s currently talking about meditation. Meditation is just focusing intently upon something. In our spiritual lives, healthy meditation is about focusing deeply and intentionally – to “sink your teeth in” – and to ponder the Word of God. I’m not really great at this, but he says that if you can worry you can meditate, so I must have the capacity to meditate because I can be fairly proficient at worry.

Joshua was told that meditation on God’s Word (in this case, the Law of the Torah), would help him be prosperous and successful. “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; 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.” (Joshua 1:8 NIV) Keeping God’s Word always on our lips and meditation on it continually will help us lead better lives.

Have you ever been reading a passage of scripture and it really bugged you? Maybe you didn’t understand what it was trying to say, or it caught your attention and wouldn’t let you go. Maybe it took days or even weeks to figure out what God was trying to say to you and how to respond. But then maybe that piece you pondered and meditated on spoke loudly to you – giving you wisdom or revelation or peace. If we are the results of our internal thoughts and other processes, what we feed our mind matters.

When we watch cable news for hours on end or read worthless novels or numb our minds with movies or video games, we feed our minds with junk at best and destructive things at worst. But when we feed our minds by meditating on God’s Word, we develop a healthy lifestyle that brings us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. This is part of God’s definition of “prosperity and success.”

“What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways!

He won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat.

His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,” meditating day and night on the true revelation of light.

He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design,

deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life.

He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous.” (Psalm 1:1-3 TPT)

When we “remain true to the Word of I AM” and meditate “day and night on the true revelation of light” we are deeply rooted in the good soil of God’s heart. Our minds are fed by that good food. We will bear fruit in every season of life and be ever blessed and ever prosperous. And then that good food becomes something that positively affects those around us and our entire community.

Disciples discipline their minds. So, today, what scripture can you take time with to ponder, question, absorb, study, and let God speak through? I’ll put a few below, but I invite you to ask Holy Spirit to help you understand and then to spend some time meditating on the Word.

Word of God,

Thank you for your Word and our hope and promises. Give us a deep hunger for the things of you so that we can discipline our minds. Give us time, space, and focus to be able to meditate on your Word and it’s meaning for our life. May our blessings, our prosperity, and our success be in the things of your Kingdom and for your Glory, we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Some verses to choose for meditation:

John 16:33

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 34:4–5, 8

I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 6:31–34 (NIV)

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or “What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Proverbs 3:5–6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Chronicles 7:14

“If my people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Philippians 2:3–4

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Isaiah 41:13

“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.'”

1 Peter 5:6–7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.

Revelation 21:4

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

(verses from ESV at https://www.concordia.edu/blog/15-bible-verses-to-encourage-you.html)