God calls us to one thing in life – to pursue God’s kingdom and his righteousness above all else. The practice of biblical meditation penetrates, cleanses and transforms our hearts and minds, teaching us how to live fruitful lives for the kingdom of God. We need the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we read God’s Word to us in the Bible. To meditate on a Bible passage is to seek to allow the meaning of the passage to influence us. When we meditate, we anticipate that God will speak to us through his Word. We meditate not so much to gain knowledge, but to gain understanding.
Activities
- Meditate on a fairly brief passage or narrative. Read Scripture slowly. When certain words or thoughts stand out, let them sink into your heart and allow God to use them to speak to you. You might want to memorize a short part of the text to keep it clearly in your mind throughout the day.
- Slowly read a Psalm out loud (e.g. Psalm 16, 19, 23, 42, 51). Let the psalm speak to your heart and mind. What do you hear God saying to you? Respond to God in prayer.
- Read one of these stories: Mark 10:13-16; Luke 7:36-50; Luke 4:1-13. Put yourself in the story. What is God saying to you?
- Pay attention to God with your body by slowing down, relaxing and breathing deeply. Now you can better pay attention to God and treasure what he reveals.
- Prepare yourself by choosing a comfortable and quiet place. Release your anxieties and place yourself in the presence of God. Read Psalm 139. What do you hear? What feelings do you notice in yourself? Write down questions you have.
- Take a walk in nature, meditating on the beauty of God’s creation. How does God speak to you in his creation?
- Meditate on the great truths of our faith using the Apostles’ Creed. Spend time deeply entering into the words and their meaning.