Meditations of my Heart

Ps. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

I've been doing some thinking about the use of the word "meditation" in scripture, particularly in the Psalms. I think "meditation" is an important and often under-utilized method of communion with G-d but I also think there is room for a great deception for the people of G-d if they allow themselves to be led astray by the terminology.

Meditation means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I'll begin with the definition of "meditation" that most people think of when they consider it:

Find a comfortable posture to sit in, one that you can maintain for approximately 30 minutes. Keep the spine straight to allow the spiritual energies to flow freely. Now, relax and allow your mind to resolve or transition away from all that has been going on. As you transition away from this mentally "busy" state you may find that you cease thinking about anything in particular but are aware of many things non-directionally... etc.

I just wrote this definition of meditation from a few sources online and the directions are fairly clear and simple. Apparently the difficulties come in the doing. So, basically we are assuming a relaxed posture, clearing the mind of clutter and entering a state of "nothingness" for about 30 minutes each session. I'm sure that those who meditate in this fashion will take issue with my "clearing the mind" comments since they prefer "non-directed thoughts", so be it.

In this type of mediation we may choose to call upon a "Higher Power" or not, if our beliefs allow. However, this should not change the effectiveness of our meditative state. With this type of meditation we are seeking to commune with our "inner light" and we don't really need a "god" to connect with.

I believe that G-d doesn't particularly approve of this type of meditation. I cant' find a biblical basis for it nor can I find any spiritual benefit in engaging in it for the Christian believer. I also find a strong disconnect between the description of this type of meditation and the usage of the word in scripture. Lets take 2 instances from Psalm 119 for example:

Ps 119:97 O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all
the day.
Ps 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for
thy testimonies are my meditation.

How can David, or anyone meditate on precepts or laws when his mind would be basically free of directed thoughts? This is just one, small example of the basic premise. In scripture meditation can mean several things: musing, praying, uttering and more but in every case but three (that I can find) they are *active* states and they are directed towards G-d. Even in the exceptions the purpose is still to seek and find the Lord.

Clearly there must be a vast difference between what David is doing and what is called for with these other practices of meditation. I've boiled down biblical meditation to a single definition which is 180 degrees away from this secular forms. My definition of Biblical meditation is this: "Think Strongly Upon". By looking at mediation in this way and using this basic idea as we go through scripture we see a powerful definition that works well in almost every case. Going back to the earlier example from Psalm 119 we find that it works quite well.

Ps 119:97 O how love I thy law! It is my {strong thought} all the day.

Ps 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my {strong thought}.

The idea of having "strong thoughts" takes us a long way towards understanding biblical meditation. "Strong" can take many forms. It can mean predominate, powerful, pervasive, foremost, transformative etc. Thinking strongly on G-d's word and His precepts is a wonderful spiritual discipline. To be sure.

There is also no need for special spiritual postures or mantras or anything of the sort. We just devote time and energy to thinking strongly about G-d and His ways. Simple, straight-forward and powerful. G-d doesn't need us trying to peek into His cosmic business and we don't really need to get in touch with our "inner light" I'd rather be in touch with the Light of the world.

I write this because I've been doing a lot of research lately and I've come across several "Listening Prayer" resources that are quite similar to eastern meditation but are being pawned off on unsuspecting Christians as a "hidden biblical principle." True, biblical Listening Prayer has everything to do with this "strong thought" towards G-d and His precepts and nothing at all to do with these eastern practices masquerading as biblical ideas. It doesn't even require you to "sit quietly" although many people prefer it. Listening Prayer requires you to think strongly about G-d and His precepts and simply listening. You can be praying, you can be at work, you can be on the road, it doesn't matter. Let's let the bible tell us when we can think and speak about these things:

Deut 6:6-7
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You
shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you
sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you
rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as
frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house
and on your gates.

How often do we assume that the remainder of these commandments are for the sake of our children and not for ourselves? The commands shall be in our hearts. As part of that we will teach them to our children. Then, *perhaps* the remainder of these are again directed self-ward and as an *example* to our children through right living. We shall talk about them. That is strong thought and the biblical definition of meditation also includes "utterance" as part of it's definition. We shall bind them on the hand, head and doorpost. External reminders to "seek first the kingdom", calls to retune our minds onto G-d and His precepts.

I believe that the method of meditation is clearly laid out on the examples given in scripture. The final question to be answered then is will I do it? Will I make room for real, biblical meditation in my everyday affairs? I think I can do that! I think it is as simple as recalling G-d's word in my heart and thinking about it while I do what I do and if what I'm doing is not working out with what I'm thinking then it's time to reconfigure one or the other. This puts me at "one" with myself and my situations. I am not double minded but am in fact single minded in my endeavors and they are done unto the Lord.

Psalm 119:111-113
Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end. I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law.

Selah!