Philippians 4:8

Think About Christ

Paul is talking about meditation here.

“but wait, i thought meditation was for Buddhists?”

It is, if you think that meditation is just about emptying your head and trying to drift off into nothingness.

But that isn’t what real meditation is, at least not biblical meditation.

Psalm 145:5 ESV

On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

Psalm 119:97 ESV

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 119:148 ESV

My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.

Meditation as the Bible understands it isn’t emptying your mind, but filling it; filling it with thoughts of God and his goodness. Meditation is emptying your mind of all worries and distractions and focusing intently on one thing.

Meditation isn’t only biblical, its a command.

David loved to meditate on God’s promises and God’s law. What are we supposed to meditate on?

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

First, we have to recognize that there are sort of two commands here: a positive and a negative. We are not only called to do one thing, but we are also called NOT to do another. We are not only called to think about certain things, but prevented from thinking about others.

This is a command NOT to think about things that are false, dishonorable, unjust, scandalous, hateful.

This is a command TO THINK ABOUT ^ ....

What fits that category? Video Games, TV Shows, Movies, Youtube, A person, yourself?

Everything falls short of that description! Everything, except for Jesus.

Much like David, we also meditate on God’s promises: promises to save you, love you, protect you, grow you, hold you close.

ALL of those promises are fulfilled through Jesus Christ, who he is and what he did.

2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

If we want to truly meditate on those good things, the promises of God that have been fulfilled, we HAVE to meditate on Christ.

How often do you meditate on him?

Maybe you’re still wondering what the heck that looks like. How did David meditate? He loved to wake up early, before the watchmen are even changing shift, so that he can spend time meditating on God. Then, he loved to meditate on God while he was on the night watch. In Psalm 1 David said blessed is the man who meditates both day and night

In other words: We can meditate always. Waking up early, in the car, during work, laying down, at meal time, any time!

Rather than scroll through youtube or Insta, or pulling up another episode of Netflix or Disney Plus, take a moment to let go of everything else and spend time focusing ONLY on Christ and how good God has been to you.

Practice Christ’s Commands

But as important as meditating is, we can’t just meditate for a while and then go on to “normal life.”

In fact, meditating on Jesus and God’s faithfulness will lead to a transformed life.

Paul says

Philippians 4:9 ESV

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

After you spend time meditating on Christ, go and do what he commands you to do. The things that you learn as you read scripture, see in other mature believers, hear about from faithful teachers and witness in those who disciple you, put into practice.

We know that the meditation isn’t separate from the doing, one leads to the other. As we meditate on Christ, God himself actually changes our hearts and our minds to love him and obey him.

It isn’t as if we are making ourselves perfect here through our own works, but we recognize that being faithful to God will lead to God growing us and changing us.

Christ has freed us from the law but has called us to obey his commands- two of which are most important. Love the Lord and love you neighbor.

Love your neighbor best by preaching the gospel to them, let them know about the transforming love of Christ.

Go out of your way to help someone, not to earn God’s favor but to spread God’s love.

Love the Lord by doing all of that for God’s glory, so that people might know him for who he is.

Challenge:

Every day this week, find a time that you can spend 10 minutes reading a passage from the Bible and ten minutes thinking about only that passage from the Bible. It can be waking up 20 minutes early, after school, before dinner, before bed, whenever you want. Just carve out 20 minutes for meditation, and then expect your desires to be changed to love your neighbors well.