How to Meditate

Chew the words. Rehearse the meaning. Stay on topic. Feel the depth of meaning behind each word.

Assumption: we are meditating on truth.

Love the truth. Track it down. Go somewhere undistracted.

“And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide” Genesis 24:63a.

Talk the words.

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth …” Joshua 1:8a.

Mumble mutter mouth-motion meditate. Hmmmmm.

Believe meditation is healthy.

God said do it.

“… thou shalt meditate” Joshua 1:8

Meditate on rhythm. In cadence. On schedule. Consistently.

“… meditate therein day and night” There are only two times to meditate: daytime and nighttime.

Get into it. Full immersion. Dive in. Go into the bubble. Saturate your soul and whole being in the moment of meditation.

“Meditate therein” Complete meditation includes entrance.

“The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” Psalm 119:130.

Human nature tends to resist.

We don’t allow entrance.

The words cannot come in.

We skim the words but don’t welcome them into the fibers of our bones and deepest being. “The entrance of Thy words…” The words themselves are worthy of entrance. It’s my responsibility to permit them into the proper location. Come on in. Words are welcome here.

Be alert. Be fully engaged. Be on guard.

“that thou mayest *observe* to do…” Joshua 1:8.

Observe: Hebrew Pronunciation = shaw-mar’.

Meaning: 1. to keep, guard, observe, give heed

A. keep watch and ward, protect, save life

B. retain, treasure up (in memory)

C. celebrate, keep (covenant or commands), perform (vow)

D. preserve, protect as valuable

Meditation is not passive.

Meditation is active engagement.

Meditation is not a state of floating or neutrality. That’s un-meditation … best practiced when on medication. :-)

Meditation is not seeking inward. There are no answers inwardly. Since when did I become the source of anything amazing? Pure and proper meditation is not repeating a Satanic mantra to summon the demon.

Clean meditation does not leave any part undone. Do all. Every bit of it.

“… observe to do according to *all* that is written therein” Joshua 1:8.

Meditation normally includes written words. Meditate through and on the right words. Develop a clean and spiritual fascination with words. Better yet, harmonize the spirit to be sensitive and in tune with the Author of the words.

We only meditate correctly on those words which we believe to be eternal, intentional, and powerful.

Words that don’t matter are worthless. I’m trying to meditate on the best words from the best Source, Whom I believe is expressing His personality and love through certain set words. Not trying to manipulate and rearrange God’s expressions to match my mood.

We’re not going to rightly “observe” words if we can simply rearrange them. Or delete a few words that seem unworthy, from our limited perspective. Words that have no power and no Author are definitely not getting my fullest attention. Either what God wrote matters or it does not matter. Everyone is somewhere on that spectrum of belief. Should we not strive to please God by trying to believe that God had the purest of intentions when He originally crafted specific words in His creative arrangement? An arrangement not to be trifled with. When we deeply and truly want to love the Author ✍️, we will leave His language choices alone because we are in admiration of Him as a person. Meditation solves and dissolves a compunction to re-translate.

Leave pure words alone.

Admire the words. Appreciate the words. Stand in awe of the Author.

This world is in a huge mess because people cannot receive the right words. What are we meditating on? Random daily happenings? Frivolous fluffy news? Who can we trust … with our utmost level of confidence?

“Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him” Proverbs 30:5.

Can we trust the purity of the Divine Author? If not, why not? Is He at fault?

Are the words less than pure? Is there room for improvement? Are we going to add purity? The second half of the verse is just as powerful as the first six words. Trust in Him. Trust what about Him specifically? Trust … God is pure. When I believe God is pure … then I can trust Him… Then I can trust His every word, without seeking to manipulate and twist His words to match my tiny brain. See, either God is the Word or I have to become the word.

Why do we not meditate? Because we think the words are filthy. Plenty of alternatives. All kinds of improvement necessary. “I just wish God would’ve said it better. Then I would meditate on who He is as expressed through His words. Yeah, for sure then. You betcha.”

Pure words are worthy of meditation.

Pure words deeply resonate and cleanse. Power-wash my everything.

Jeremiah 5:14

“Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make My words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”

Yeah wow. That’s pretty strong. Not sure I like that. Could we tone it down a little bit? Maybe we could reword it to be more correct for this era. A little less violence, please. (Sarcasm is underappreciated.)

Fire words.

Jeremiah 23:29

“Is not My word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

Hammer it home.

A hammer on fire.

That’s a lot.

So my words are probably the rock that needs broken then?

His words are better. Little stronger.

Get the fire hammer out.

Do a little meditating.

Crush my rocks into fine dust.

People have lost their love for words.

Words are the webbing connecting us to God and our fellow humans. Words are relationships. Words are memory-makers. Words are the substance of meaning. A word is mote than simply a bucket that carries meaning within. Words enter through all our gates simultaneously. Words enter at the same time our eyes, ears, heart, imagination, and our mouth. Full resonancey. High Fidelity.

Words fasten our fixation on the person of God. Words convey more than concepts. Words convey personality. Words convey love.

Certain keywords are worthy of our daily meditation.

What word are you in love with recently? Just cannot get it out of your mind.

“Blessed is the man … his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” Psalm 1.

Are you bone-deep overflowing happy? Joy bubbles popping in every conversation? Truly blessed through-and-through is the individual who daily, deeply delights in Who God is and how He thinks by most especially-focusing on words designed by God to deliver certain amazing concepts … indeed worthy of our deep, enduring preponderance.

When should we exercise this whole-being focus on the Person of God?

How about when we’re alone and about to rest. Psalm 63:6 “When I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

Is meditation just absorbing words?

Psalm 77:12

“I will meditate *also* of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings.”

Meditation can focus on work performed. Meditation can be in the form of speaking about things God did and is doing.

Consider where He’s coming from and where He’s going in the near future.

Psalm 119:15

“I will meditate in Thy precepts [previos decisions], and have respect unto Thy ways [going forward].”

While I’m being criticized or yelled at externally, I can escape to a meditation room inside my heart and there focus on good things I know God wants me to consider.

Psalm 119:23

“Princes also did sit and speak against me: but Thy servant did meditate in Thy statutes.”

Should I get fired up when I’m obviously mistreated without proper cause? Or should I resort to meditating?

Psalm 119:78

“Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in Thy precepts.”

Sounds like an internal safety bunker. Meditation may be an approved escape mechanism.

Is it OK to stay up past midnight?

Psalm 119:148

“Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in Thy word.”

With proper medication, good things are possible. Misspelling on purpose. :)

What are you thinking about?

Psalm 143:5

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.” … aka something other than myself.

Grandma says stress is thinking about yourself too much.

What is one positive result of meditating? Through meditation, I get to give myself completely 💯 to better thoughts and actions than I could conjure on my own.

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” 1 Timothy 4:15.

Q: What things? A: The whole book of first Timothy.

So everybody’s gonna eventually know what I’ve been meditating on? Yup. My profiting or lack of profiting will eventually appear to all. My profiting greatly depends on the focal material. Whether it’s worthy of transferring spiritual wealth or no.

Worthy words.

That’s where it’s at.

MED'ITATE, verb intransitive [from Latin meditor.]

1. To dwell on any thing in thought; to contemplate; to study; to turn or revolve any subject in the mind; appropriately but not exclusively used of contemplation upon God, or a consideration of the great truths as expressed by God.

Our thinker has no neutral gear. Our mechanisms producing thought are constantly whirring.

Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things.

Awe, what does meditating have to do with the gospel going forth to the world?

Truth, meditated, is easier transferred.

Teachers who meditate have more interested students.

Guiding a listener to meditate on the beauty and power within certain keywords is vital to ensuring proper gospel reception.

The gospel is normally communicated through words. Hence, we must be skilled technicians with our tools. Even children can tell if we genuinely believe the words we’re trying to share.

Want to be a better witness? Try meditating on just one concept in the gospel for one minute. Then stretch it out to 10 minutes. Then try taking a whole day to fill every spare gap of time resonating in the spirit and reading words on that singular topic.

Here are four gospel concepts to meditate on: (please select one)

God (identity of and claims of)

Sin (act, lack of action, falling short, inability, nature, every Scriptural definition and usage of sin)

Separation (Lamentation feeling of severance, cause and consequence, duration, justice served, sensation of being separated a little or a lot)

Salvation (Solution, reconciling, substitute, worthy fulfillment of expectations, Divine origin and Authorship, verses and definitions thereof)