Powerful Meditation

Focused mediation is of vast importance to the Christian life.  Throughout the Scripture, particularly the Psalms, meditation is exhorted and exalted as a primary function and pursuit of believers (Psa. 1:1-2; et al).  Because of the literary real estate given to the importance and role of meditation in the life of believers, it is worth examination.

In preparation for the wandering Israelites entering the Promised Land, Joshua explains the purpose and the practice of meditation (Jos. 1:8).  Meditation is to focused on the Word of God, day and night, for it will guide the way and prevent waywardness.  Joshua also adds that meditation can have significant and prosperously positive effects.

Because of the historical context of this bold plea by Joshua prior to entering Canaan and destroying the inhabitants, it is striking that Joshua would point to the importance of maintaining meditation.  The Israelites were about to enter into a fierce genocidal wartime in which, with God as their great King and commander, they would vanquish the Canaanites and finally inhabit the Promised Land.  Still, Joshua tells the Israelites that the measure of success that will be portioned to them will be in relation to their constant meditation on the law.  This has immense importance.

If we, as Christians, are to be sojourners in this world, then we are not unlike the Israelites.  Also, the principle at play in Joshua's time is still at play today.  The degree of our growth in the Christian life is in direct proportion to how much effort we are putting into it.  It makes sense.  If we are truly meditating on (inputing) the Word of God and His will, we will naturally begin to output the Word and will of the Lord.

A word here about technique is in order.  Since the middle of the 20th century, when eastern philosophy made huge inroads into western college campuses, our understanding of meditation has been dominated by an eastern, buddhist identity.  This is not biblical meditation.  In eastern meditation, the goal is nothingness; it is a meditative process of severing self and holding no thought.  Through this process of deconstruction, enlightenment and inner peace is achieved.  Quite literally, the object of eastern meditation is nothing.

In contrast, biblical, godly meditation has the Lord as its focus.  The process of biblical meditation is to focus on the Lord and His Word for the purpose of growing closer to His Son, Jesus.  There is a clear object of meditation: God.  If meditation does not have God as its object it is not only useless, it is sin. It is sin because we are not using our God given faculties and capacities for their intended purposes.

At the final analysis, meditation is a necessary practice for Christians.  It takes dedicated time. The amount of time is not important because we are to be doing it all the time.  The reality is that it was probably easier to spend all day in meditation in an agrarian society that lacked much social contact.  Unfortunately, in our corporate, service-focused world, interpersonal communication is seemingly unavoidable.  This presents definite issues for meditation.  For this, remember that the goal of Christian life is to be God-centered.

Practically speaking, this means that even when we may not be able to meditate continuously on the Word of God, we will be disciplined as to keep our focus on Him throughout our interpersonal communications and will be thinking about Him as much as is possible.  This is not an easy teaching but again, we should not ever allow the challenges reckoned by the Christian life detour us from striving towards a better, more biblical Christianity.