Meditation, Christian

Mar.16.07: Light for the Day - "Meditation" (<<) (>>)

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("Pray To Receive Christ")

-- Philippians 4:8 + Finally, beloved, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- Meditate on these things.

In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His good presence; this will carry you evenly through your day's business. -- William Penn

"Think On These Things"

Meditation is a quietly powerful way to deepen your spiritual life and draw closer to God. From the psalmist who meditated on God's law and character, to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who pondered all things in her heart, the Bible teaches the value of time spent in meditation. There are much way to approach meditation. You can memorize passages of Scripture. You can begin or end your day with reading a devotional or writing in your journal. When you set aside time for meditation, you open your heart and your mind to the Spirit's influence.

You can meditate on Scripture. But your spiritual reading can also include great books and writes of all kinds. Spiritual reading is less about the content of what you read and more about the attitude of your heart when you read. Meditating on what your read transforms reading into an activity of love and attention. Along with the Bible, look for classic and modern Christian writers that have stood the test of time. As you read, think about what insights God might want to offer to you through the printed page and how these things might apply to your daily life.

There are many other ways to meditate. Some people keep a daily journal, writing about their activities, letting their thoughts flow out onto the page. Others prefer a more active way to meditate, take long walks in nature and mulling over their lives. Perhaps you would enjoy taking a pocket New Testament and Psalms on a walk and meditating on a Scripture passage as you look out on the wonderful view. Go into a quiet church to pray and meditate. Memorize promises from Scripture and think about them as you do household tasks. Meditation can be as simple as making a cup of tea, lighting a candle, and sitting in a comfortable chair for a time of Bible reading.

"When you meditate, imagine that Jesus Christ in person is about to talk to you about the most important thing in the world," said Francois Fenelon. "Give Him your complete attention." Know that God wants to speak personally to you in every moment of the day. A regular time of meditation is a way of welcoming His presence into your life.

-- CL4Life

Pray, and let God worry. -- Martin Luther

We pass the word around; we ponder how the case is put by different people, we read the poetry; we meditate over the literature; we play the music; we change our minds; we reach an understanding. Society evolves this way, not by shouting each other down, but by the unique capacity of unique, individual human beings to comprehend each other. -- Lewis Thomas

Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion -- it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ. -- Billy Graham

-- Romans 12:12 + Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

-- Philippians 4:6-7 + 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

-- Galatians 5:22-23 + 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self–control. There is no law against these things!

-- James 3:17-18 + 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

-- 2 Peter 1:2 + Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

-- 2 John 1:3 + Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

-- 2 Thessalonians 3:16 + Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you His peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

-- Joshua 1:8
+ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

-- Psalms 19:14
+ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

-- Psalms 46:10
+ Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

-- Psalms 48:9
+ Within Your temple, O God,
we meditate on Your unfailing love.

-- Psalms 104:33-34
+ 33 I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to Him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

-- Psalms 77:11-14
+ 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all Your works
and consider all Your mighty deeds.
13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
You display Your power among the peoples.

-- Psalms 119:11-12,26-28,48-49,96-97
+ 11 I have treasured Your promise in my heart
so that I may not sin against You.
12 Thanks be to You, O LORD. Teach me Your laws.

+ 26 I told You what I have done,
and You answered me. Teach me Your laws.
27 Help me understand Your guiding principles
so that I may reflect on Your miracles.
28 I am drowning in tears. Strengthen me as You promised.

+ 48 I lift my hands in prayer because of Your commandments,
which I love. I will reflect on Your laws.
49 Remember the word You gave me.
Through it You gave me hope.

+ 96 To all perfection I see a limit;
but Your commands are boundless.
97 Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long.

Meditation is the soul’s perspective glass, whereby, in her long removes, she discerneth God, as if He were near at hand. -- Feltham

Meditation is the life of the soul; action is the soul of meditation; honour is the reward of action; so meditate, that thou mayst do; so do, that thou mayst purchase honour; for which purchase, give God the glory. -- Quarles

Spiritual reading does not mean reading on spiritual or religious subjects, but reading any book that comes to hand in a spiritual way, which is to say, listening to the Spirit, alert to intimations of God. -- Eugene Peterson

Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God. --Andrew Murray

You may pray for an hour and still not pray. You may meet God for a moment and then be in touch with Him all day. -- Fredrik Wisloff

Wishing will never be a substitute for prayer. -- Ed Cole

The good functional definition of Faith is Faith Prays, unbelief does not. -- John A. Hardon

In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. -- John Bunyan

We do not segment our lives, giving some time to God, some to our business or schooling, while keeping parts to ourselves. The idea is to live all of our lives in the presence of God, under the authority of God, and for the honor and glory of God. That is what the Christian life is all about. -- R. C. Sproul

-- Web Dictionaries: Meditation:

+ The act or process of meditating.
+ Continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.
+ Transcendental meditation.
+ Devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection.
+ A devotional exercise of or leading to contemplation.
+ A contemplative discourse, usually on a religious or philosophical subject.
+ Continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature; "the habit of meditation is the basis for all real knowledge"
+ Religion: contemplation of spiritual matters (usually on religious or philosophical subjects)
+To engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.
+To engage in transcendental meditation, devout religious contemplation, or quiescent spiritual introspection.
+ To consider as something to be done or effected; intend; purpose.
+ Religion: To train, calm, or empty the mind, often by achieving an altered state, as by focusing on a single object.
+ To engage in devotional contemplation, especially prayer.
+ To think or reflect, especially in a calm and deliberate manner.