The Discipline Of Meditation

Our topic this morning is a subject that requires personal reflection. See, I have found myself doing this more than ever -- that is meditating. How many of you meditate? How many of you are consistent in your meditation? Don’t fool me now. I don’t know about you, but during my Christian walk, I’ve heard preachers speak about meditation.

·The preacher said we should meditate.

·The preacher said meditation is essential to our dily living.

·The preacher said the person who doesn’t meditate would continuously endure unsolvable afflictions.

I believe at some point or another, we all meditate. What or whom are we meditating to is the question. Church, do we truly comprehend the essence and necessity of meditation? So for a few minutes let’s speak on the subject: The Discipline of Meditation.

Our text “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night,” So exactly what does it mean to mediate? How does one meditate? When should one meditate? These are questions that resonate within my spirit as I embark this path for my life. The meditation that I want to address this morning isn’t transcendental meditation better known as yogi or TM but rather biblical meditation. See meditation denotes concentrated thought and reflection. While yogi is a methodical practice that allows mental activity to settle down to a silent state of awareness where the mind is calm, collected, yet fully expanded and fully awake yogi doesn’t embrace the divinity of the Triune God. Joshua wasn’t referring to Transcendental meditation that encompasses Buddhism and Hinduism. Because TM is in nonconformance to the Word of God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob which was the God whom Joshua worshiped. Remember the Bible tells us to “be not conform to this world.” Christian meditation is rooted in the Bible. My Bible commands us , today, to meditate. We see in our text, Joshua 1:8, God instructs Joshua to command the Israelites to meditate on His word day and night. A command that’s plausible today so we will careful to obey the written Word of God. Yeah! Yeah! Meditate, it’s in the Word. The psalmist says, "his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2). Actually, the Bible mentions meditate or meditation 20 times. The Hebrew word for meditation is ‘hagah’ pronounced (haw-gaw). It means to ponder, to study. Biblical meditation equates to quiet contemplation, that is, the pondering of spiritual truth, the Word of God.

Additionally, Biblical meditation requires discipline. What is discipline? Discipline is training that corrects and molds the character of a child of God into the image of God. Church, concerted, intensive discipline:

1.Develops reverence for the Word of God (Heb 12:8-10)

2.Produces obedience to the Word of God (Proverbs 19:18)

3.Maintains sound faith in the word of God (Titus 1:3)

Mack Fackler, editor of 500 Questions & Answers from the Bible states, “The discipline of meditation involves first having God’s Word, then reading it, studying it, memorizing it, considering its meaning for you, and acting on it.”

If we, the Saints of God, will continuously endure presumable unsolvable afflictions, we must engage (like Joshua did) in the discipline of meditation. Now you and I both know that there is no problem too hard for God. However, Joshua declared meditation day and night was the solution to the problems they faced. I’m here today to say unless we meditate day and night our problems will overwhelm us. Joshua knew meditation was necessary; but not only was it necessary it was something that had to become habitual, that is day and night. He understood the importance of having God’s Word in his heart so he would be ready for all occasions. We too must hide God’s Word in our heart so that we will be ready for whatever comes our way. We can’t wait to find a Bible; we must be the living Bible.

So, here in our text we see where Joshua practiced the art of meditation. Church you know Joshua. He was the successor of Moses and the one who led the Israelites into the Promised Land where the Israelites faced the giants in their lives. Yeah! Yeah! That Joshua! You know Joshua (the one who had the hands of many in his hands). Church, I’m telling you that Joshua practiced meditation. His status and position did not impede him from engaging in this act. Rather, I believe because of the weight on him, he practiced meditation even the more. Now the Bible doesn’t say that but it does say (read with me: Joshua 1:8 states, “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”).