May my meditation be sweet to Him; as for me, I will rejoice in the Lord.
Psalm 104:34 (AMP)
First, let’s clarify what meditation is from a biblical perspective since there are many popular twists on what meditation is and how to meditate. In my book, Wellness for Christians, I go into great detail about meditation.
Meditation and Grilling a Steak
If prayer is talking to God, then meditation could be termed ‘listening to God’. Another way I like to describe meditation is ‘marinating’ on something. Those of you who cook may have an understanding of this, especially when it comes to grilling steaks. (To my vegan readers, I beg your indulgence because the steak analogy is an effective one. Please try to relate.)
Before grilling a steak, most people would marinate the meat or let it sit submerged in something for a predetermined period of time in order that the meat would soak up as much of the marinade as possible for flavor. Fully marinating and submerging the meat places it in an environment where the meat can absorb the marinade into every part of the meat, even all the way into the center. Why? So the steak can become—be transformed into—the best and most flavorful version of itself.
Do you get the analogy? Sweet!
When we meditate we are marinating in the Holy Spirit, in our relationship with God, and on God’s word, allowing His Spirit to soak into every part of us. That’s how we get our flavor!
What biblical meditation IS NOT is the New Age practices that are common in self- relaxation, hypnosis, yoga, ‘guided meditation’ or a focus on ‘love and light’. These are NOT biblical meditation and can open the door of your heart and mind to all kinds of funky adventures. Stick to biblical meditation.
Getting Started
Here are a few simple steps in how to get started in meditating.
Start small
Begin with a realistic goal, maybe 2-5 minutes of still, quiet time. You can build up from there, but set a realistic goal to begin with.
Get into a quiet zone
Create a quiet space and time for you to meditate. Even your bathroom is a good place. Close the door and sit on the floor. You will need an uninterrupted quiet space for your meditation.
Just ‘Be’.
Sit quietly. And, as distracting thoughts come into your mind, make a conscious choice not to get into a relationship with those thoughts. That is, do not repeat those distracting thoughts in your mind. Instead, focus your attention on your breathing or an inspirational quote, a Bible scripture or even on the feeling of LOVE. The point here is to BE STILL and know that GOD IS!
Here is a great free resource to help you grow closer to God and expand your ability to meditate on God’s word — The Body Church www.body-church.com.
The Body Church is a ministry I founded in 2011 which provides messages and moving meditations online to deepen your personal relationship with Jesus. The messages and moving meditations are acts of worship to connect your mind and body to God’s Spirit.
