Whatever that means.
For Christians, meditation is not the emptying of the mind, but rather filling it with the Word of God. The word "meditation" means "rumination" which is how a cow digests her food. A cow has multiple stomachs. She will graze a pasture eating everything in sight, but the grass remains in the first stomach until digestion starts. Then it moves back and forth between stomachs (and even back to the mouth to be chewed) until every nutrient is extracted.
Meditation on God's Word is like rumination. We can read large portions to gain wisdom and understanding, but when we contemplate a Scripture over and over and over, it nourishes us, becoming part of our soul, like the nutrients we eat become part of our cells.
Rick Warren, in The Purpose Driven Life, describes meditation this way: "Meditation is focused thinking. It takes serious effort. You select a verse and reflect on it over and over in your mind...if you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate".
Warren goes on to say, "No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus than daily reflection on Scripture…If you look up all the times God speaks about meditation in the Bible, you will amazed at the benefits He has promised to those who take the time to reflect on His Word throughout the day".
A tiny book I read years ago provided great advice for meditation. Before you nod off to sleep, read in the Psalms. Read until a particular verse hits you. Then say that verse over and over as you fall asleep. Then, all through the night, your subconscious mind which never sleeps will be contemplating the Word rather than the scary story you saw on the nightly news.
Keep that verse in your mind as you work, shop, run errands, taxi the kids, prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Say it aloud. Emphasize a different word each time you say the verse.
"Meditation will renew our minds (Rom. 12:1) so that we will think and act more like Christ. Its objective is to reflect on what God has said and done (Ps. 77:12; 119:15-16,97) and on what He is like (48:9-14)." [Cindy Hess Kasper, Our Daily Bread]
So, let's start chewing our spiritual cud!
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Psalm 145:5
Susan
5 comments:
I am ready to chew, bless you.
Once again thank you
Jill
Good morning Susan....
I printed this out and am going to read it to the girls in work before our prayer meeting this morning,,,,
I can see our stress levels rising as the season is approaching!!!!
thanks for the good word,, have a blessed (not stressed)day!!!!!!
Hugs Audrey
Hi Susan -
Cute cartoon! Where do you find these?
Great suggestion about reading a Psalm before bedtime. It beats running the day's disasters through your brain.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Susan,
You are a great person, writer, and motivator. I always marvel at your messages. But, there are times, like now, that I have to make the effort to tell you...this one was especially timely. Since leaving Pines Lake, I gave up a weekly meditation meeting I hosted. I missed it very much. Just last week I reached out to the people that used to attend. And, one of them showed up in Clifton. Then, this week I had three more. Although I was stressed about getting the train and getting back home in time, I wondered about why was I even bothering to do this. But, tonight, your message reminded me and I thank you for that.
Love always
Donna
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