When We are Silent: An Introduction to Meditation…yes, Meditation

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Now for Part One of a new series on OUR SILENCE….

“Inward solitude has outward manifestations. There is the freedom to be alone, not in order to be away from people, but in order to hear the divine Whisper better.”
~Richard Foster, The Celebration of Discipline

What images come to mind when you hear the word “meditation?” For many of us, we immediately envision an Eastern religious ritual, sitting cross-legged on a squishy mat, eyes closed, head shaved, palms upward with the thumb and middle finger ever-so-lightly touching, muttering a repetitive

“ooooooommmmmmmmmmmm.”

 

Like something we might learn in a yoga or Pilate’s class.
“None for me, thanks. I’m a Christian! I don’t dabble in witchcraft,” we ever-so-proudly declare!

With red flags flying everywhere, we jump on the pendulum, frantically swinging in the opposite direction of “that new-agey, Oprah Winfrey” stuff, and self-righteously remove the word from our vocabulary and the practice from our prayer lives.

Isn’t that special??????

But, as Charles Stanley says in his book How to Listen to God, that abandonment is at our great peril, because meditation and its scriptural application are of immense value if we are to accurately listen to the voice of God.

What is meditation?

The first thing we must realize is that meditation is Biblical. Over the next few posts, including this one, we will look at specific Bible references to meditation, but before we go there, let’s get a good working definition.

In his book Knowing God, author J. I Packer says this of Biblical meditation:

“Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and 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 activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God.

Its purpose is to clear one’s mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let His truth make its full and proper impact on one’s mind and heart.”

So, it’s really about controlling your mind to dwell on the truths of God. It is an act of discipline. It involves emptying your mind of all wrong thinking and instead dwelling on God’s promises and attributes, for the purpose of transforming your mind into the mind of Christ.

It allows the Holy Spirit to speak quietly and clearly into the depths of your spirit.

“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. (Psalm 42:7)”

 
 
What are some benefits of Meditation?

1. Wisdom:

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.” (Psalm 119:97-98)

2. Insight:

“I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. (Psalm 119:99)

3. Understanding:

“I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.” (Psalm 119:100)

4. Prosperity and Success:

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; 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)

 

With secular thinking and a Biblical world view becoming more and more merged, skewed and ill-defined, I realize talking about something like “meditation” may give you pause to trust me or my blog. But just because false religion has hijacked this amazingly introspective and fulfilling ritual, it doesn’t make it any less Biblical than it was when men of old penned the Holy Scriptures.

 
 
 

I promise, as always, to stay as Biblically sound as I know to do throughout this series…and every series. But, if for any reason, you ever disagree with me or have questions, I welcome comments and e-mails. I promise to respond to each and every one as best as I can.

 
 
If you want to learn more, tune in next time, when we will talk specifically about solitude.
 
And don’t forget to enter the drawing!!!