Meditating on Scripture
Lord, as we enter the second week of our Lenten journey, guide us on the path that leads to you. Fill our hearts with gratitude, patience, strength and peace. Help us to grow closer to you this Lent through the practice of meditating on scripture. In your name we pray, Amen.
I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship and the whole world for my mission field. - John Wesley
BREAKING THE ICE
What is something that really delights you? What adjectives would you use to describe how this makes you feel?
REFLECTION
We learned last week that God invites us to develop the holy habit of prayer. This week, we are turning our attention to reading and meditating on Scripture.
Richard Foster, the author of the classic book entitled Celebration of Discipline notes that of all the spiritual disciplines – the study of God's word is the primary vehicle for transformation in our lives. And, while all spiritual disciplines certainly help with replacing bad habits with new life-giving ones, it is study – specifically of the Bible – that brings about the most change because this is where we are most likely to encounter Christ.
Likewise, when we’re trying to get healthy physically it’s not enough to just wean ourselves off of unhealthy foods – we must replace the junk food and the sodas with healthier choices instead, if we want to experience lasting change.
The apostle Paul in Romans 12:2 tells us that we are transformed through the renewal of our mind. However, in order to bring about renewal, we must apply our mind to those things that will ultimately transform it.
Foster points out on page 62 – 63 in the Celebration of Discipline that many Christians fail to reach their fullest potential because they do not engage the Word of God deeply. Here he is writing about many good-intentioned Christians, who are genuinely seeking to worship and obey Christ.
“They may sing with gusto, pray in the Spirit, live as obediently as they know how, even receive divine visions and revelations, and yet the tenor of their lives remains unchanged. Why? Because they have never taken up one of the central ways God uses to change us: namely, STUDY.”
I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word study, I am immediately flooded by some pretty unpleasant memories of my days as a student. Maybe you have a similar notion of what it means to study, and you are thinking to yourself, “I hated school, why would I be interested in being a student again?” Well, rest assured, this is not what God has in mind because we study with the aim of being transformed not just informed.
In the realm of Christian discipleship according to Foster, study is a process that involves four steps:
1. Repetition
2. Concentration
3. Comprehension
4. Reflection
Let me take a brief moment to cover each one of these four steps.
Step #1: Repetition. When we are beginning to study the Bible, it helps to memorize a short text and to repeat it throughout the day (hopefully, you picked up a scripture card or two on Sunday!). As we rehearse a passage in our mind, it has the power to change our behavior.
For example, when I first began studying the Bible, I memorized John 10:10, in which Jesus says, “I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.” I didn’t believe this passage at first, but over time, as I memorized it and repeated it to myself periodically throughout the day – I did come to believe it and trust in it as a promise given to me by God, for my life. I began to live my life out of the abundance of God’s goodness and grace – I no longer functioned out of a framework of feeling “less than” or worrying about my needs.
In the same way, if we repeatedly focus on those things that rob us of life – our mind is more likely to be conformed to destructive patterns of thought, instead of those that bring us joy and lasting peace.
Step # 2: Concentration. We live in a world that often moves at light speed, making it difficult for us to concentrate on any one thing. I’m sure you’ve driven behind someone ELSE who is trying to multi-task to make sure they use every minute, of every day that they can. While they’re driving, they’re also talking on the phone, eating their take-out burger, and flipping through their XM radio channels. Perhaps they are even trying to parent their kids in the backseat.
If we’re honest, most of us are guilty of living distracted, unfocused lives. We no longer value concentration as a culture, but when it comes to the things of God – it is a vital step in the process of growing in our faith. We have the opportunity to greatly increase the chances of learning if we not only bring our mind repeatedly to a subject, but we actually concentrate on the truth that is being communicated. What might happen if you were to create some space in your day to concentrate on God’s Word?
Step #3: Comprehension. In the Gospel of John, Jesus reminds us that it’s not just the truth, but the knowledge of the truth, that sets us free. We have to understand what we’ve learned and then apply it to our lives.
Step #4: Reflection. Studying God’s Word involves understanding not only our subject matter, but our own lives as well. We begin to see the world from God’s perspective. When we contemplate the meaning of a passage of Scripture for our own lives, we begin to see and hear all of life in a new way. This is when transformation takes place, and our lives are no longer marked by our old habits, but by the fruit of the spirit taking hold.
WRESTLING WITH THE WORD
Read Psalm 1:1 - 3 (Message) | Psalm 1:1 - 3 (NRSV)
• What is the difference between reading, studying and meditating on scripture?
• Does the phrase “law of the Lord” connotate something different than God’s word or scriptures?
• What are the promises offered to one who meditates on God’s word?
Next Steps
• What feeds you spiritually? How has that kept you rooted in your faith?
• What are some personal challenges you face in delighting and meditating on God’s Word?
• This psalm points out the things one needs to avoid as well as the things one needs to do to live a blessed life. How might you specifically apply this advice to your life?
In worship this Sunday, we practiced Lectio Divina (divine reading) and memorizing scripture. I shared a brief video about this ancient spiritual practice that Christians have been using to read Scripture for centuries. If you missed the video, check it out now by clicking the button below.
PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Oh Lord, I will study your teachings and follow your footsteps. I will take pleasure in your laws and remember your words. Treat me with kindness so that I may live and do what you say. Open my mind and let me discover the wonders of your law. Let your teachings breathe new life into me. I am eager to learn all that you want me to do; help me to understand more and more. Please, Lord, hear my prayer and give me the understanding that comes from your word. Amen.
READINGS ABOUT MEDITATING ON SCRIPTURE
• Hebrews 4:11-13 (CEB) - The Word is a double-edged sword.
• Luke 10:38-42 (Voice) - Mary and Martha with Jesus.
• James 1:19-25 (NIV) - Listening to and doing what the Word says.