The spiritual discipline of meditation Meditation

Isaiah 55:8–9 NKJV

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

In our Society our adversary Majors in three things:

noise

hurry

crowds

the Bible uses two different Hebrew words to describe meditation, they are used 58 times in the old testament.

they have various meanings such as:

Listening to God’s word .

Ruminating on God’s Word.

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Ruminate

ru•mi•nate \ˈrü-mə-ˌnāt\ verb

-nat•ed; -nat•ing [Latin ruminatus, past participle of ruminari to chew the cud, muse upon, from rumin-, rumen rumen; perhaps akin to Sanskrit romantha act of chewing the cud] verb transitive 1533

1: to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly

2: to chew repeatedly for an extended period verb intransitive

1: to chew again what has been chewed slightly and swallowed: chew the cud

2: to engage in contemplation: REFLECT synonym see PONDER—ru•mi•na•tion \ˌrü-mə-ˈnā-shən\ noun—ru•mi•na•tive \ˈrü-mə-ˌnā-tiv\ adjective—ru•mi•na•tive•ly adverb—ru•mi•na•tor \-ˌnā-tər\ noun

In each case our emphasis is on a changed behaviour as a result of their encounter with a living God.

Repentance and obedience are essential features in any biblical understanding meditation.

The psalmist exclaims, “oh, how I love the law! It is my meditation all the day… I hold my feet from every evil way in order to keep thy word. I do not turn aside from by ordinances, for thou has taught me” (, , ).

(). “I think of you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night” ()

the Psalms virtually singing meditation of the people of God upon the law of God: “my eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I might meditate upon your promise” ().

The song then introduces the entire Psalter calls on the people to emulate the “blessed man” whose “delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night” ().

The old priest Eli knew how to listen to God and help the young boy Samuel though the word of the Lord ().

Biblical Examples of the heroes of the faith.

Elijah spent many of day and night in the wilderness learning to discern the “still small voice of Yahweh” ().

Isaiah saw the Lord “I am lifted up” and heard his voice saying, “whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” ().

Jeremiah discovered the word of God to be “a burning fire shut up in my bones” (). And on March the witnesses.

These people were close to the heart of God. God spoke to them not because they had special abilities, but because they were willing to listen.

In the midst of an exceedingly busy ministry Jesus made a habit of withdrawing to a “lonely place apart” (). He did this not just to be away from people, but so that he could be with God.

What did Jesus do time after time in these desert hills?

He sought out the heavenly father, you listen to him, he communed with him, and he beckons us to do the same.

Hearing and obeying

Christian meditation, very simply, is the ability the year God’s voice and obeying his word.

It involves no hidden mysteries, no secret Montra, no mental gymnastics, no esoteric flights into a causal link consciousness.

The truth of the matter is that the great God of the universe, the creator of all things desires fellowship.

That’s why he created the garden and Adam and Eve.

Moses learned albeit many vacillation’s and detours how to hear God’s voice and his work.

In fact, Scripture witnesses the God spoke to Moses “face-to-face, as a man speaks to his friend” ().

The Lord Jesus taught us in his intimate relationship with the father, Jesus modeled for us the reality of that life of hearing and obeying.

“The son can do nothing of his own accord, but only that which he sees the father doing; for whatever he does, the son does likewise” (). “I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear I judge” ().

“The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the father who dwells in the does his works” ().

He declared that he was the good Shepherd and that is she knew his voice ().

The Holy Spirit:

He told us that the comforter would come that the Spirit of truth, would guide us into all truth ().

Romans 8:27 NKJV

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.