Suggested Guidelines for Biblical Meditation
1. Schedule Biblical meditation opportunities consistently into your day.
When we commit to getting serious about spending time with the Lord, often our daily schedule suddenly explodes with unexpected activities and interruptions. Quality time spent in communion with God takes a conscious effort on our part to make it important enough for us to want to do it. (Psalm 119:164; Psalm 59:16-17)
2. Retreat to the quiet.
Finding a location where you can be free from noise and distractions may take a little imagination, especially if you have young children. Without being legalistic about specific times, try to find opportunities during the day when you are likely to have the fewest interruptions. Occasionally you may want to vary the time and location for the sake of variety and freshness. (Matthew 26:36; Mark 4:35-36; Luke 4:42)
3. Relax mentally and physically.
Find a position that is comfortable without making you too sleepy. Breathe deeply through your nose and exhale air out of your mouth. It is important to note that physical relaxation is not the object of Biblical meditation but without the reduction of physical and mental stress, it is difficult to fully enjoy your time alone with the Lord. (Psalm 37:7; Isaiah 40:27-31)
4. Prepare spiritually.
If you do not have a personal relationship with Christ, or if you have unconfessed sin in your life, you cannot have open communication with Him. Stop and ask God to cleanse you from any sin that woud hinder your time or fellowship together. Pray also that He would guide and direct through the power of His Holy Spirit. (John 3:16; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:9; Psalm 51:10-12)
5. Reflect on scripture.
Taking a particular verse, scriptural phrase, or thought and appropriating its principles personally to our lives is the essence of Biblical meditation. Allowing God’s word to saturate our thoughts and actions so that we are changed beings as a result of our communion together is the object of Biblical meditation. (Psalm 1:1-3; Jeremiah 7:7-8)
6. End with praise and thanksgiving.
Each of us has been created to praise God. There is no greater joy than to enter God’s presence and enjoy time spent alone with Him. (Psalm 16:7-9; Psalm 150:6; Revelation 5:12)
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