"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
Philippians 4:8
This is the second post in this series on spiritual discipline, and it is on meditation. However, before I go on, you should know that meditation seems to be one of my gifts. Meditation on anything but Scripture. You can be assured that I am always meditating on something, and you can probably also be assured that it is not true, honorable, just, pure, lovely...Actually, it is probably the opposite of these descriptors or just something utterly unimportant. I confess that my thought life is not full of meditation, but I hope that it will become more centered on God's Word. I need God's grace in so many ways, and this is yet another. Well, despite my apparent lack of discipline in this area, I will still share what I learned last weekend about meditation, all the while praying that it will take hold in my heart and grow.
Meditation: deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture, or upon life from a Scriptural perspective, for the purpose of understanding, application, or prayer.
Dr. Whitney compared meditation on Scripture to making tea. If you simply dip the tea bag in the water, it will not change the water. This is what happens when we just read the Bible in the morning, leave for school (or work), and by 9:00am cannot even recall what we read. On the other hand, if you meditate on the verses throughout the day (like letting tea brew), Scripture will color your attitude, thinking, view of yourself, and beliefs. It will also add flavor. Notice that to dwell on Scripture all day, you must first meditate on it enough to remember it for more that five minutes. Well, why does this matter? Meditation leads to obedience and obedience leads to blessing.
"But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
James 1:25
"Blessed in 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. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."
Psalm 1:1-3
I am often discouraged that I am not growing more like Christ, but most days I ponder what clothes I will wear, food I should cook, or notes I should study more than I do Scripture. I am usually wondering if what I said came across the way I meant it or if what someone else said really meant something different. These thing are in no way uplifting, and I know I must direct my thoughts to Scripture. Dr. Whitney gave several methods for meditation, but I will not list them here (I think they are probably on his website). He emphasized that it is an active process, not one in which we clear our minds (worldly meditation), but one in which we fill our minds. He also emphasized that the blessings we will receive are not necessarily worldly blessings. Like James, we must "count it all joy, my brothers, wehn you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-3) What we see as a trial may be a blessing.
So, may our minds be filled with Scripture as we tread through our days this week. May we think on Christ's blessings and our undeserved salvation. May we rejoice in the small steps of sanctification we see in our lives and may we pray for grace to love God and others more.
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