A page that explains a variety of approaches to Studying the Bible

1. Introduction

This page introduces the practice of Bible meditation.

Unlike other forms of meditation, WE do not empty our minds. On the contrary, we fill them with Scripture.

Dictionary Defn.    “to consider thoughtfully, to ponder, to give deep thought to”.

Concordance Defn.    “to mutter, to muse, to take care” (Josh 1:8 / Gen 24:63 / 1 Tim 4:15 )

Overall Defn. “Biblical Meditation is the devotional practice of pondering a word/words of a verse/verses of Scripture, with a receptive heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to take the written word and apply it as the living word to the inner being.”

2. Detailed Consideration

1. A Devotional Practice

•   it is a means of deepening our relationship with God

•   it is not just to stimulate our intellect

•   it is to draw us closer in our walk with Him

2. Pondering

•   it requires us giving time to it

•   we need to consider the verse(s) thoughtfully

3. Words of a verse

•   we think about Scripture, we don't have a blank mind

•   we focus on the truth in God's word

4. A Receptive Heart

•   we come to God as Lord of our lives

•   we want Him to speak into us

5. Allowing the Holy Spirit

•   we seek Him first in prayer 

•   we keep our heart open to Him all the time

•   we let Him bring thoughts to us through the verse(s)

6. Apply it as the Living Word

•   we let God bring it to change us

•   the purpose is for God's truth to transform us

7. The Inner Being

•   we want Him to touch us with it in our spirit

•   change is to come on the inside first

•   it will then be seen in outward behaviour-change

3. Doing It     

Rather in the same way that we take in, chew, swallow and digest our food, so we can do the same with Scripture.

In doing that we let the Lord bring us such a depth of understanding of the truth of the verse, that we take it into our innermost being where it changes and transforms us.  

To be able to think and muse on a verse for any length of time, it may be necessary for us to write out the verse and put it somewhere where we can see it during the day so that the Lord can speak to us through it.

How?

•   Read the verse in context, then read it alone several times.

•   Pray over it. Ask the Lord for help. Give thanks for what you see in it.

•   Ask Him for more. Allow Him to expand your thoughts and acceptance of it.

•   As thoughts come, jot them down, thank Him and use them as the basis for more prayer, petition and intercession.

•   Allow them to change you on the inside, in the way you think and feel.

•   Let those changes have practical outworking in your life.

Note:

When we come to read and study the Scriptures, our primary goal is two-fold:  to find out what did the Scripture mean to those to whom it was written, and what does it mean and how does it apply to me today?

The reason for saying this is that when we are studying, we dare not impose other meanings to what the Scripture says. This is distorting Scripture for our own benefit, and we must not do this.

However, when we come to meditation our objective is to do just this, but it is also to allow the Lord to speak to us, and this He may do in what we can only describe, in this context, as somewhat unorthodox ways.  In other words, although the original may clearly teach one thing, and we must not negate that, it may be that the Lord will speak further than that to us through the verse.

We cannot teach that thing that He may have said to us because it was a unique word to us, but we must be aware that this can and does happen when we are seeking the Lord and using His word.  The check against misusing what we have just said, is that the Lord will never say something to you that runs counter to the teaching of Scripture.

In interpreting Scripture, we must not create an analogy when one was not being used, but in meditation, the Lord does sometimes speak using a verse in the form of an analogy, simply to communicate something personal to us.  We must all the time, though, hold onto the check we mentioned above.

We are aware that this is open to misunderstanding, but it is important to be aware of this when we are doing Biblical Meditation.

Starter Verses:

The following are some verses you start with:

Psa 1:2,3 / Col 3:16 / Rom 12:2 / Jer 15:16 / Psa 119:130

Example meditations:

To see examples of meditations click on the following:

Meditation - Psalm 139:1-6

Meditation - Ecclesiastes 3