Chapter 6: The Practice of Meditation

The Case of “How to...”

Few things in life are more frustrating when you are told to do something without receiving a practical explanation of how it is done.

Fortunately, the Puritans left no part of the practical "how-to" aspects of meditation to our imagination.

How should one view the detailed Puritan instructions on meditations?

FIRST, the Puritans wanted to be sure that their congregations understood how to move from theory to reality when it came to personal thought life.

SECOND, the Puritans felt justified in their prolonged explanations. This was based on Scripture's recording that specific individuals regularly meditated. John Calvin stresses the importance of scriptural meditation, but he did not, however, work out. any practical scheme for meditation.

THIRD, the Puritans justified themselves by viewing godly meditation as multifaceted.

Meditation deals not only with the mind but also with the emotions and the will (affections). For meditation to be effective, it has to enter through three doors:

Understanding

Heart

Conversations

Thus Puritans taught certain steps in their meditation. Why? They believed that we must first travel with our judgments to inform them and then make an application that may work with you. AFFECTION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING IS BLIND AND INORDINATE.

INORDINATE - unusually or disproportionately large; excessive.

Although Puritans prescribed rules and steps for proper biblical meditation, the also maintained proper biblical balance, flexibility, and dependence on God's Spirit.

They view biblical meditation as a ready dependence on the Lord to work as they gave themselves to see Him.

They view biblical meditation as a ready dependence on the Lord to work as they gave themselves to seel Him.

Why did the Puritan ministers want their people to excel in the art of meditation?

Take away meditation and the duties of religion lose their life and vigor. The Spirit of God provides the believer's delight in his duties of prayer, Bible reading, and meditation.

Why did the Puritan ministers want their people to excel in the art of meditation? Take away meditation and the duties of religion lose their life and vigor. The Spirit of God provides the believer's delight in his duties of prayer, Bible reading, and meditation.

ake away meditation and the duties of religion lose their life and vigor. The Spirit of God provides the believer's delight in his duties of prayer, Bible reading, and meditation.

The Best Time of Day for Meditation

It is necessary for the believer to figure out his best time for spiritual exercise.

Stated time is a hedge to duty, and defends it against many temptations to omission.

Whatever is not planned does not get done, specially when it comes to reading the Bible.

Figure out which time of the day where your are mentally active and awake in soaking God’s Words.

When are you most alert and fresh?

There is no one specific prescribed time in the day for all.

To some morning was the better time of the day before wordly occasions stand knocking at the door to be let it.

Let one’s experience instruct him whether to choose the morning or evening for meditation.

An important principle is to develop a consistent habit of meeting with the Lord for Bible reading, meditation and prayer. This must be done when one’s mind is clear from distractions.

The believer must give the Lord first place and the best of his time and energy - whether it be morning or evening or at some alternative time.

The Best Place for Meditaion

Look for a place with least or no distractions.

Absolute concentration and freedom from distractions are necessary for effective Scripture meditation.

Isaac meditating in a field provided the timeless example “that private and solitary places are fittest place for meditation. Divine meditation must be calm and quite.

Isaac went out to a field to meditate “where he might be alone, free of he noise of the family; for the heart of man is easily drawn off.

In a book entitled Treatise of Earthly-Mindedness, Jeremiah Burroughs proposed that “a man who walks with God loves to be withdrawn from the word.”

Based on the examples of Jesus, Isaac, John the Baptist, David, and Chrysostom, Hall wrote: “Solitariness of place is fittest for meditation.” Retire thyself from others if thou wouldst talk profitability with thyself.

The believer today must apply this to today’s culture. In order to effectively meditate, he must turn off the radio, TV, tablets, Internet, smartphones, text messaging, and whatever other gadgets are designed and capable to distract the mind and attention from the solemn moment.

The Amount of Time Necessary for Meditation

It should continue “so long ordinarily till thou dost find some sensible benefit conveyed to thy soul… As it is in the kindling of a fire in wet wood,…when you blow at first, there is a little smoke arises, by holding on you raise sparks, but he that goes forward at last brings it to a flame. So it is the duty of meditation.

The believer must set aside healthy, generous portions of time for personal devotions, prayer, and Bible meditation.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES:

One hour based on Jesus’ question in the garden of Gethsemane ()

Based on David’s practice in , Watson suggested that “it is fit that we give God at least one half hour every day…Meditate so long until you find your heart grow warm in this duty.

White felt that thirty minutes was a good amount for beginners and one hour for the more mature believers.

Two general principles governed the question of length:

First, we ought not to leave off our prayer before that…frame of heart…[is} inflamed with His love.

Second, as long as we find the heart affected we are to continue it. Puritans did not see meditation as a mechanical process. For them it was more of a primary means to maintain a loving, growing relationship of love with the Savior. Like any loving relationship, there are not strict time limits on conversation. Rather, one communicates as long as it is necessary to keep the relationship flourishing and healthy.

Meditating and spending time with the Lord is like a good meal — it take time to prepare and time to enjoy. Many Christian devotions resemble a person who is wolfing down a burger while driving on the freeway. However, our time with the Lord should look more like a couple who enjoy each aspect of a seven-course dinner.

It is our duty to set a sufficient proportion of time apart every day because our hearts are like unstrung musical instruments. It simply takes a good amount of time to tune our hearts toward God in divine meditation.

Learn from the hen sitting on her eggs, the longer she sits on it the warmer they get then it hatches.