Thoughts Concerning Meditation

Last night, at our weekly prayer meeting, I shared some thoughts concerning meditation. With the help of some Puritan minds, I found some practical advice on the subject of meditation, which led into a reflection on the first sixteen verses of Psalm 119.

Thomas Manton once wrote,
"Meditation is a middle sort of duty between the word and prayer, and hath respect to both. The word feedeth meditation, and meditation feedeth prayer; we must hear that we be not erroneous, and meditate that we be not barren. These duties must go hand in hand; meditation must follow hearing and precede prayer."

Thomas Watson defines meditation as,
"a holy exercise of the mind whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance and do seriously ponder upon them and apply them to ourselves."

Watson concludes,
"A Christian without meditation is like a soldier without arms, or a workman without tools. Without meditation the truths of God will not stay with us; the heart is hard, and the memory is slippery, and without meditation all is lost."

Edmund Calamy said,
"A true meditation is when a man doth so meditate of Christ as to get his heart inflamed with the love of Christ, so meditate on the Truths of God, as to be transformed into them, and so meditate of sin as to get his heart to hate sin."

Calamy further instructs that,
"Meditation must enter three doors: the door of understanding, the door of the heart and affections, and the door of practical living."

By way of exhortation, Calamy commands,
"Thou must so meditate of God as to walk as God walks; and so to meditate of Christ as to prize him, and live in obedience to him."

(These great Puritan quotes and others can be found in Joel Beeke's Puritan Reformed Spirituality).

Perhaps my favorite place for meditation is on my rawhide lazy-boy. It is in the saddle that I often ponder the wonder of God's handiwork. From Meadowlark's to Crocus's I witness first hand God's wisdom and creativity in what he has made known to all mankind through general revelation. What's more, I reflect upon the excellencies of Christ and his once for all sacrifice for sin. I consider where I might be in life were it not for God's grace, his faithfulness, and his loving-kindness. Often times, like a cow chewing her cud, I bring up truths that are partially digested like the supremacy of God in all things. When I think upon God's sovereign rule over all things: from dust particles, to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, to the circumstances of life, I often respond in prayer and praise for all that God is for me in Christ.

I trust that meditation upon the living Word (Jesus), and the written Word (the Scriptures) will launch you into deeper intimacy with God, and growth in the knowledge of his character and ways. May the Spirit of God assist you and I both concerning the practice of meditation.