Spiritual Disciplines: bible intake and meditation … day 3

Let's resume our talk on bible reading and meditation with some more practical application.

I don’t want to steal Jasmine’s thunder as she will be writing about prayer and journaling, but I will say a few quick things. Before you open your bible to read, quiet your mind and heart before God. Ask Him to help you to know Him and love Him and see Him and His works as you read His word. Ask Him to convict you of sin against Him and others and to humble you before Him. Keep those things in mind as you read. Set aside your own agenda and really dig in to what God has to say to you in His word. Ask Him to help you see real ways to apply His word to your life. Carolyn Mahaney (see our link to "Girl Talk" in the sidebar) recommended in her book "Shopping for Time" that you ask two questions as you read your bible. One: Who is God (as revealed in the passage) and two: What should my response be to God as He is revealed in the passage? I really like these types of questions because they help me to direct my thoughts to God in worship and submission, as well as giving me wonderful things to meditate on throughout my day. Notice that second question is self-examining… not other person examining. Don’t read God’s word to try and fix someone else or make them more godly, without humbling yourself under God’s mighty hand and His sword of truth, first.

Another thing that I have found helpful is if I purpose to talk to somebody about what I read and am trying to meditate on from God’s word. Usually my boys are the “lucky” recipients of this. They are on the same reading schedule as I am and so this helps me to hold them accountable as well. But it also helps me to articulate my thoughts when I have to verbalize them in a comprehendible way to them. Plus, because they are still young (9, 11, and 13) it helps me to take a big idea and bring it to their level of understanding. This helps me to know and understand God more, in that He does the same thing for us.

Also, I find that it is easier to meditate on God’s word when I limit the distractions around me. I don’t have the TV on or a lot of background noise during most of the day so that I can focus my thoughts on God and what He would have me pursue each moment. (I hope this helps my boys similarly). Also I don’t spend a lot of time talking just for the sake of chatter. I do happen to home school my boys and though we have a lot of fun, we don’t sit around idly chatting on most days. We may have an exciting conversation about the goodness of God in giving us Jesus or we can have a serious talk about our sinfulness, but I try to be purposeful about directing my mind toward things of God whenever I can. When I am working in my kitchen or in my house or driving in my car, I can think about Jesus. Sometimes I will listen to good Christian music and that will spur on further meditation, however that is not a substitute for quiet focused meditation on God’s word.

We will finish up our focus on bible intake/reading and meditation tomorrow, so "stay tuned"!