The Bible, prayer, and now… if I’m not careful I will simply be repeating what I’ve said in earlier posts so I’ll leave Christian Fellowship, going to church etc which we certainly should be valuing more and more the longer we are deprived of them, and stick with those things that we can fully enjoy and benefit from now while the lockdown remains in place.
So next what about Meditation? For many I guess meditation carries overtones of false religions and practices that are contrary to the teaching of scripture; but the Bible speaks much about the importance of meditation in the life of the Christian, and for many of us, lockdown gives us the ideal time to grow in our ability to meditate as a Christian.
There are a number of references to the right place of meditation in scripture and what sets biblical meditation apart from what is generally practiced as meditation is the focus of the mind whilst meditating. For the Christian the mind is fixed on something true and certain and meditation is a conscious consideration of that thing with thanksgiving and praise to God for it. For the Christian the Bible itemises at least four things for us to meditate on:
God Himself
Psa_63:6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
Psa_77:3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints.
What could be a better way to spend your time when you can’t sleep or when you are sitting in the garden or taking your daily walk (for those who can)? This was very central to the lives of many of the puritans who would take notebook with them to jot down the conclusions of their considerations.
What God has done
After the person of God surely the next most wondrous things to think on are the things He has done:
Psa 77:12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Psa_143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.
Remember and spend time in wonder thinking about the acts of God from His work in creation through the amazing acts of the Old Testament, to the climax of sending Jesus, and His work, death, resurrection and ascension to what He has done in your own life. Nothing will enrich your own prayer life like practicing these first two!
God’s Law
Some Christians sadly never seem to grasp the wonder of God’s Law nor the fact that our Christian life should centre around seeking to keep it. Listen to a few scriptures:
Jos 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psa 119:15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
Psa 119:23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.
Psa 119:48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.
It is simply about taking time to give serious consideration to what God wants to see in my life, how I can truly please Him, what parts of His Law do I need to focus on more etc.
God’s promises
Psa 119:147b-148 I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.
All that we are promised in Christ Jesus – those promises for this lifetime, those that take us through death, those that will be ours as we await Christ’s return and those that will be ours for all eternity in the new heavens and new earth.
Dear friend, what could be a better ‘skill’ to acquire or refine during lockdown than this: to learn to spend time simply reminding yourself, and contemplating and considering, and as a result worshiping God for – who He is, what He has done, the Law He has given and the promises He has made!