Meditation on Scripture -
A God Encounter
We experience God when we meditate on scripture. Christian meditation on scripture, which is similar to the Jewish tradition, is an encounter with God through his written Word. This discipline in the Judeo-Christian tradition bears no resemblance to the practice of meditation in the eastern religions.
When we meditate on scripture our souls interact with the Bible. It’s done by reading or hearing a passage over and over as we listen to what God wants to tell us. Either a single verse or an entire section is appropriate. We simply sit in silence and allow God’s word to pour over us and wash through our hearts. In a sense, meditation on scripture is our dress rehearsal as we attempt to live out the word that God writes on our souls. He transforms and restores us to reflect his image.
Meditation on scripture cultivates our sensitivity to the still small voice of God. His Word comes alive through dialogue in this discipline. As we ponder the scripture, we may see a vision or receive interpretations and insights that are very personal. We intentionally set our personal thoughts and selves out of the way so that we can receive what God has for us from his written word.
The Gospel of John beautifully illustrates this God encounter in the story of Nathanael and Jesus. “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” (John 1:48) First century rabbis taught that a good place to meditate on the Word of God was under the shade of a fig tree. Devout Jews believed that when they meditated, they had a living encounter with God. So in that sense Jesus was there with Nathanael under the fig tree.
The early Christians continued the discipline of meditation on scripture. Isaac the Syrian was a spiritual writer and Church authority who lived around
Nineveh
in the 7th century. He wrote “Meditation on the scriptures teaches the soul the discourse with God.” This man studied the scriptures in the solitude of the wilderness for many years. We would do well to imitate his example in this discipline.
Meditation on scripture is a vital source of spiritual nourishment for all Christians.
Reading
and studying the Bible is important. But meditating on the Word of God transforms the information we store in our brain into God’s personal work in our heart. Whoever meditates on scripture gains more wisdom than all the others.
Copyright 2007, Calvin R. Wulf and Lisa Are Wulf
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