Meditating is a biblical practice. God said to Joshua, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; 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).
Many people are concerned about meditating because other religions do it. Eastern meditation is supposed to empty the mind, but biblical meditation is filling the mind with the Word of God. It harnesses all human faculties so we can better understand godly matters and put them into practice.
The Hebrew and Greek words translated as meditate literally mean: to murmur, to ponder, to imagine, to talk to yourself. Meditating is when you think about something over and over, from every angle and ask, “What does this mean?” or “What if that happens?”
Scripture challenges us to meditate on God’s law (Ps 1:2: 119:97), precepts (Ps 119:15,78), decrees (Ps 119:23,48), statutes (Ps 119:99), unfailing love (Ps 48:9), works and mighty deeds (Ps 77:12;143:5; 145:5), wonders (Ps 119:27) and promises.
So how do you meditate on Scripture? Firstly, read the verse (in different translations if possible).
Next, ask yourself—what is the key message? What are the other parts?
Finally, pull the verse apart and consider it bit by bit. Ponder each word or phrase by itself, noting everything that comes to mind.
Try meditating on Ephesians 4:15: this is the heart of true discipleship—we are to become more and more like Jesus in every aspect of our lives. (Spend a moment on each section.)
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.”
Let Scripture take root inside us. As it becomes “ours”, God can call it from our memory when we need His wisdom, comfort or direction.
