Meditating God’s Word, How Disciplined Am I?

Introduction

How does a disciple of Christ equip himself or herself for the battle of life, especially when we have an enemy who is invisible and very crafty?

• Reading and meditation of God’s word is the indispensable ammunition for the battle of life.
• A disciplined disciple of Christ must engage himself or herself in this important discipline of his or her spiritual life.
• The Word of God equips us for the spiritual warfare and prayer infuses us with the power of God, needed for the warfare. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
• Meditation, according to John Owen, is one of only two disciplines (prayer being the other) that have “a special tendency towards the ruin of the law of sin.”

What Is Meditation (Psalm 1:1-3; 143:5-10; 63:1-7)

What it is not:

Many non-Christian religions and secular groups practice meditation—Transcendental or Buddhist forms of meditation:

• It is meditation that seeks to disengage, silence, or empty the mind, as in.
• This kind of meditation is generally characterized by the use of repeated mantras, the constant act of releasing one’s “bad” or “harmful” thoughts or the clearing of one’s mind of any “thinking” whatsoever.

What it is:

Thomas Watson, a seventeenth-century Puritan minister, devoted much of his life to biblical meditation, both practicing it and teaching about it. He aptly defined the discipline in his book Heaven Taken by Storm as “an holy exercise of the mind, whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance, and do seriously ponder upon them, and apply them to our selves.”

• Mediation, very simply, is ruminating on, thinking over, and pondering God.
• Joshua 1:7-8
• Psalm 1:1-3
• Psalm 63:1-7
• Psalm 143:5-10

Why Is Meditation (Psalm 119:97-104)

The central reason why meditation is vital in the life of the believer is that meditation is the bridge between knowledge and obedience:

• Joshua 1:7-8
• Psalm 119:97-100

Meditation, according to John Owen, is one of only two disciplines (prayer being the other) that have “a special tendency towards the ruin of the law of sin.”

Another writer said,

“It is not the busy skimming over religious books or the careless hastening through religious duties which makes for a strong Christian faith. Rather, it is unhurried meditation on gospel truths and the exposing of our minds to these truths that yields the fruit of sanctified character.”

Meditation is important because it is God’s Word that:

• Regenerates us
• Transforms us
• Revives us
• Sanctifies us
• Builds us up
• Warns us against false teachers

Meditation plants the truth of God’s Word deep into our souls so that we are genuinely changed and enabled to walk in faith and obedience.

• 2 Timothy 3:15-17

How Is Meditation

Meditation requires time and effort. It can’t be rushed. It involves withdrawing from the distractions of this life so that we can fix our thoughts on God and His Word.

Here are four practical tips for meditating on God’s Word:

1. Place & Time: Carve out a specific time and place each day when you are least likely to be interrupted or distracted to get alone and meditate on God’s Word.
2. Prayer & Preparation: Start with prayer and ask God to help you with your meditation. You can ask the Lord to draw you closer to Him, open your eyes to His truth, help you apply that truth in your life, and transform you as you meditate on God’s Word.
3. Portion: Choose a small section of Scripture. Think about what the passage means. Study it in depth so that you can understand it in context. Take notes. Ask questions. Memorize the passage.
4. Ponder & Pray: Ask God what He wants to say to you through the text. Consider how you can apply the passage to your life in practical ways, and ask God to help you follow through in obedience to what He shows you.

Conclusion/Application

Do we have a disciplined life of the meditation of the Word and prayer?

• Psalm 119:9-16