Meditation in the Bible
The Bible contains many references to meditation; indeed, its first use in English Bible text occurred when Isaac went out into his field to meditate (Gen 24:63).
Biblical meditation involves reading and contemplating Bible passages with an intent to grow closer to Christ, deepen your knowledge of His truth, and experience transformation.
1. Devotion
Devotion as meditation involves connecting with and experiencing love for others through contemplative prayer and devotional practices. For instance, you might think about loved ones in your life or people needing assistance; alternatively you could focus on reading words from Scripture that resonate with you directly. Devotion meditation can be especially empowering because you’re connecting to the One who made all things and loves us unconditionally – connecting to a connection between His creations and yourself that brings great comfort.
Meditation has long been part of religious practices. From Hindu, Buddhist, and Zen/Chan schools to non-religious people’s lives alike, many religious traditions use meditation as a form of stress relief, tranquillity enhancement, and health benefits.
Meditation can be done alone or with others. Beginners might benefit from practicing with others to learn the art, while experienced meditators might find it more fulfilling to meditate alone.
Meditation can be difficult as it’s hard to shut off thoughts and feelings, but the goal of meditation should never be about stopping thinking or feeling; rather, it should focus on learning how to observe your thoughts without judgment and gain perspective on life’s events.
The term “meditate” can be misleading as its use varies widely. There are several synonyms to the word: ponder, muse, reflect and ruminate – with each meaning something slightly different: for instance ponder refers to deliberate consideration while reflecting can involve inconclusive thought processes or prolonged reflection. Your moods can also interfere with your ability to meditate – sometimes making it hard when feeling sad or angry but keeping a positive outlook and patience will make meditation much simpler over time.
2. Strengthening
The Bible mentions strengthening as a form of meditation, using Hebrew word siah which can be translated to mean, “tell, utter or meditate”, “mutter prayers” or even, “mutter prayers.” This Old Testament practice may have helped form New Testament Greek memorization practices such as those advocated by Paul’s call to be diligent (meletao).
Scripture memorization can be a powerful form of biblical meditation, providing a means for you to focus on and reflect upon Scripture throughout the day. Memorizing passages also makes it easy to recall their key aspects more quickly – not to mention providing another opportunity for conversation between you and God!
To build up your mind through Scripture, start by selecting a short section of text – such as one verse, chapter or even brief parable or story – then reflecting upon its meaning for yourself and its importance within your life. Also ask what this reveals about the nature of God or your heart to help understand its importance better.
Write your thoughts down in a journal or prayer diary after your meditation to help recall key points and deepen your understanding of God’s Word. Putting the verse on your desk or setting alarms may also serve to remind you to reflect upon it throughout the day – don’t allow your time of Bible meditation to end when quiet time ends! Remember God instructs us to meditate on His Word continually (Josh. 1:8); by returning frequently back to it you give it the best chance at becoming part of your daily routine and so take your first steps today!
3. Contemplation
Biblical meditation contemplation is a practice of the heart that is deeply reflective and focused on God. You focus your thoughts on answering important questions like “Who am I?” and “Where does Spirit reside?”, then spend some time meditating upon these answers (rather than simply thinking about them) until your mind has had enough.
Contemplation helps us build empathy by dismantling ego identity’s separation perspective. Through contemplation meditation we gain a clearer perspective of ourselves, others and all living things as interdependent parts of one divine whole – bringing about the world we long for with love that our hearts desire and creating one in order to survive. It’s an effective practice which ensures survival!
Meditation on Scripture involves reading and reflecting upon scripture passages for an extended period, or praying over them. Doing this allows God’s word to fill your thoughts as you concentrate upon them both day and night. Hebrew for “to meditate” includes speech as part of its definition, so you could even try speaking out loud as part of your practice if your attention wanders in quiet time. A great way to keep up your meditation practice is making it part of your daily routine. That is why it is wise to write out and return to a verse that reminds you to meditate throughout the day, perhaps posting it on your mirror or writing it in a journal as a visual reminder. Additionally, setting alarms throughout your day might help prompt meditation on God’s Word.
4. Prayer
The Bible often refers to prayer as meditation. One key way of practicing this form of prayer is contemplation of scripture; Psalm 1 shows this by having its poet dwell upon this passage day and night, filling his mind with God’s truth so it becomes a part of him like honey, delighting in the law of the Lord enough that it overpowers all other pleasures that might tempt them away.
The Hebrew word for meditate implies making a low pitch muttering sound as one form of mediation; perhaps this was used by biblical societies; however, today this may not be our approach – instead we should pondering God’s message through Scripture silently vocalizing the words in our minds.
Mental prayer has an enormously beneficial effect on a believer’s life. It nourishes and soothes their soul while equipping them to carry out God’s mission in this world.
Another form of Bible meditation involves reading passages time after time and meditating on various aspects. A common way is reading verses about God’s sovereignty and asking what this means for our daily lives; you could also pray asking what He would like you to take away from it, before writing your thoughts down in a journal. These meditations help deepen our knowledge of Him and equip us to live faithfully while following Jesus. As more time is spent reflecting upon God’s Word we will find more opportunities to put it into action within daily lives!
5. Encouragement
Encouragement is a form of meditation. It enables believers to reflect deeply upon what God has done, who He is, and His movement in their lives. According to Scripture, encouragement in times of difficulty or discouragement is vitally important for believers – one way of doing this may include memorizing verses from Scripture, reflecting upon them deeply, and applying their meaning in your daily life.
Meditation can be accomplished in many different ways; one popular approach involves reading passages from Scripture and then quietly contemplating them in silence. This can be done anywhere in a quiet place without interruptions from other people, so as to allow for full focus on God’s word and its effect upon you heart. Some even write out their passage and thoughts into a notebook for future review and contemplation – this practice resembles Lectio Divina which first started being practiced by Saint Benedict and his followers back in the sixth century!
As another form of meditation, some Christians repeat one verse from the Bible throughout the day as part of a practice to prevent misinterpreting its words out of context while also deepening your Bible study.
Meditation is one of the primary modes described by Scripture. Muttering Scripture verses may have been used in ancient Israel to aid memorization; an activity still common today among many believers. Memorizing and reflecting upon Scripture are wonderful ways to keep God’s truth present in your thoughts so you are equipped for life’s challenges with His wisdom.
