Meditation
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:2
We have heard about meditation, but if are like me I never thought of meditation until I read about in God’s Word. I thought meditation was some eastern religious practice, and was something I would never do. However, I was wrong, and today I enjoy and look forward to meditating. It brings me closer to God resulting in great peace, joy, comfort, relaxation, and security, because it is an escape from the world.
Mediation as defined by Webster – “To engage in mental exercise for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness – to focus one’s thoughts on.” When we meditate, we focus our thoughts into the spiritual world and heighten our level of spiritual awareness, bringing us closer to God. When we meditate on God we tend to leave the physical world and move into the spiritual world, where there is comfort from God’s love. Meditation consists of focusing, thinking, repeating, reflecting, analyzing, visualizing, reviewing, and feeling.
Worry allows one’s mind to focus on our difficulty or troubles. Worry can be considered meditation on the wrong subject. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. (Psalm 119:9) The Bible encourages us to meditate on God’s law day and night, or meditate on God himself. Christian meditation is looking toward God, filling our minds and hearts with comfort and joy. We can meditate on God’s awesomeness and his Word as his love and truth fill our hearts.
We learn about God from the Scriptures, and We come to know him if are obedient to his commands (1 John 2:3). God said that if we seek him with all our hearts, we will find him (Jeremiah 29:13). We can seek God with all our hearts through meditation, and this is how we learn more about him and walk in obedience—because the more we meditate on God and his Word, the better we will hear and understand him. When we meditate on God and his Word, he gets bigger and we get smaller, thereby increasing his love in our hearts and our dependence on him.
If our lives are to truly glorify God, then our lives must be filled with his Word and his awesome presence through the Holy Spirit. When we meditate, we begin to truly know God’s love for us, and we strive to be obedient. Our Christian walk then becomes more natural and less of a struggle. If you love me, you will obey what I command. (John 14:15
Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) We can learn to go through our days being still in the spirit even when the world around us is chaotic. However, to truly meditate, we need to be still physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. When we read the Word, focus on visualizing the people and the location. Try to understand the meaning behind the words and the feelings of the people by putting yourself in their situation. Stop and meditate on the Lord’s words and his love.
Meditating on God’s love makes positive changes in our brain. Dr. Jennings explains,
“Dr. Newberg at the University of Pennsylvania has documented that all forms of contemplative meditation were associated with positive brain changes—but the greatest improvements occurred when participants meditated specifically on a God of love. Such meditation was associated with growth in the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain right behind the forehead where we reason, make judgments and experience godlike love) and subsequent increased capacity for empathy, sympathy, compassion and altruism. But here’s the most astonishing part. Not only does other‑centered love increase when we worship a God of love, but sharp thinking and memory improve as well. In other words, worshiping a God of love actually stimulates the brain to heal and grow.” 1
Today take time to be still and meditate on a selected scripture, or on God, and eternal life. If you have never meditated, it might take practice to relax and focus, it can be a learning process but the rewards are divine. I love to meditate so much I find myself meditating for short periods throughout the day.
Prayer: Lord thank you for giving me your Word telling me to meditate, filling my soul with love, peace, and joy. Teach me more and more how to meditate, to be closer to you and further from the world. In Jesus name, Amen
Timothy R. Jennings, MD, The God-Shaped Brain (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2013), 27.