Becoming more Christlike does not happen automatically. It takes faith and discipline. And it takes time consuming God’s word. But what does “consuming” God’s word mean? It means not only reading the Bible, but also meditating on it.
Joshua 1:8 -- "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
Reading God’s word will allow you to gain knowledge and understanding. But meditating on scripture will give God’s word time to transform you.
Quality Over Quantity
It’s important to read God’s word every day. But we can’t fall into the trap of thinking that quantity equals quality. That’s why meditating on God’s word is a priceless practice. It allows us to slow down and really digest what we are consuming.
But Just HOW Can We MEDITATE on God’s Word?
Memorize: Write the Bible verse that you’re meditating upon on an index card. Think about the verse throughout your morning and afternoon, while going about your day. Need a reminder about the exact wording of the verse? Just peek at your index card. Allow this time to reveal more about your selected Bible verse … more meaning, more nuance, more real-world significance.
Go For A Walk: Schedule a consistent time each day to walk and think about a particular verse or passage. Let the rhythm of your steps and beauty of your surroundings put you in a peaceful state of mind. Gently allow your meditations to reveal knowledge, wisdom, and relevance that a quick read would not permit.
Journal: Each day write down in a journal a verse or passage that you wish to meditate upon. Now take 15 to 20 minutes to write down your thoughts and feelings about the scripture. Don’t censor yourself. Let your thoughts flow. Allow both parts of your brain – the logical left side and the creative right side – to immerse itself in the verse. Over the course of days, weeks and months, this journaling process will allow you to mature in your understanding of God’s word.
Pray For Understanding: You, as a disciple of Christ, have the Holy Spirit residing in you. Pray and ask God to have the Holy Spirit open your mind and heart. Remember, ask and you will receive (Matthew 7:7-8).
Meditation On God’s Word Leads To Worship
In addition to the increased understanding that meditating on God’s word will give you, it also has another powerful benefit.
Psalm 104:34 -- "Let my meditation be sweet unto him: I will rejoice in Jehovah."
As the above Psalm reveals, when one meditates on God’s word, it leads to rejoicing … to worshiping our Lord Jesus and God the Father. So, why wait another day? Start meditating on God’s word now!
