Mentoring Men for the Master

MEDITATION IS INDISPENSABLE IN INTERNALIZING THE WORD OF GOD

Internalizing the Word of God is to get it on the inside of you, and one must do more than read, study and even memorize the Word – he must “get it on the inside” by learning to meditate on what he has read, heard, and studied.  Since this is true, let us examine the full meaning of biblical mediation:

  1. What is the meaning of the Word “Meditate”?
    1. Generically, it means, “to muse, commune or speak.”
    2. Practically it means to roll over in one’s mind, analyze, ponder, imagine, ruminate, grasp fully, understand its application.
  1. Understand Meditation from the Animal World? The Hebrew word translated “meditate” describes what a cow does after grazing all day.  She lies down in the shade, chews and regurgitates the grass she has been collecting, and extracts every nutrient.  In other word, to meditate means to ponder deeply a section of the Word day and night, extracting more and more truth from its inexhaustible supply each time.  Stephen Smarowsky observes, “We are to memorize God’s Word for the transformation of our minds…We are to do this in the morning, night and throughout the day.  The way to do this is to have the Word stored in your heart.  When you are presented with certain situations through your day, the Holy Spirit will pull these words out of your memory bank…to help you assess the options.”[1]
  1. The Way You Worry is the Way you Meditate– Meditation is often misunderstood as a mysterious ritual practiced by isolated monks and mystics.  But meditation is simply focused thinking, a skill anyone can learn and use anywhere.

If you can worry you can meditate.  When you think about a problem over and over in your mind, that’s called worry.  When you think about God’s Word over and over in your mind, that’s meditation.  How many of you have ever worried?  If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate.  You just need to switch your attention from your problems to Bible verses.  The more you meditate on God’s Word, the less you will have to worry about.

The great men of history and of the Bible made meditation a very vital part of their life.  The Psalmist said “O how I love your law, I meditate on it all day long.”  (Psalm 97:11).  David also said, “Thy Word is constantly in my thoughts, I cannot stop thinking about them.”  (Psalm 77:12 NLT).  Job said, “I have treasured the Words of His mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12 NIV).

  1. Focus on Key Verses:
  • Proverbs 3:5-6 – :  “Trust” in the “Lord,” Lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge God in all your ways.  Ask yourself, “Am I really trusting all my problems and concern to the Lord – my family, finances, my church, my nation, my present, past, and future.

Think of the warning “Lean not unto your own understanding” and think of the many ways you have tried to work things out for yourself.

  • Matthew 11:28-30 – Suppose you are restless and uneasy.  You are struggling over paying your bills, over a rebellious child, a problem at the office, etc.
  1. Note the gentle, compassionate invitation of Jesus, “Come unto me – not to the doctor, your pastor, but to Me.
  2. Who is invited? Myself, for I am “weary (tired) and heavily burdened.”
  3. Then “Take My yoke upon you.” To “take a yoke” in that day meant to become a disciple.
  4. “And learn of Me” – this step is a process. As we learn more about Jesus and yield to Him, we find a deeper peace.  As the great old hymn goes, “Perfect submission, all is at rest, I and my Savior are happy and blest.”  The word “easy” means “well-fitting”, for the burden of doing His will is not a heavy one because we’re motivated by His love.
  • Isaiah 41:10, 13-
  1. “Fear thou not” – a loving command.
  2. Why not fear? For “I am with you.”
  3. “Be not dismayed, because I will give you strength, help and uphold you.” How?  “With the right hand of my righteousness – assuring us He is as close spiritually as your mom was when she held your right hand.
  4. Note verse 13 – a repeat of the 10th

Spiritual Success Depends on our Meditation: Spiritual success does not come from just hearing, studying and memorizing the Word, but it depends on constant meditation, understanding and obeying the Word of God.  Revisit Joshua 1:8; James 1:25; Psalm 1:1-3; Psalm 119:92.

Meditation on the Word Keeps Us Spiritually Afloat in our darkest hour: Illustration:  I experienced Psalm 119:92 and was miraculously sustained.  Otherwise, I would have perished.

[1] Stephen Smarowsky, “How to Improve Your Spiritual Meditaion”, Sermon Central, Sermon ID 125968