Lesson One



MEDITATION

Bible Study Methods – Part IV

After the text has been observed and interpreted one must spend time reflecting on the things observed and the interpretive conclusions reached from text. TThis process involves intense thinking and contemplating. Meditation crystallizes the text of Scripture in the mind of the student and personalizes the truth to life situations.

I. Meditation Defined

A. Meditation: contemplate, ponder, think, mull over

­ i.e. cow chewing and regurgitating

­ Filling your mind with the truth that God has revealed

­ Continued or extended thought; contemplation

­ A mental discipline

B. Seek to make connections, make sense out of the observations and interpretations

C. Pray through passage

D. Key link between interpretation and application

II. Meditation Commanded and Illustrated

A. Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

­ God is commanding Joshua to develop a meditative mindset in which the Word courses continually through his mind. How you practically meditate on God’s Word throughout the entire day without forsaking the commitments that you have to your family and your job?

­ Why did God command Joshua to meditate on His Word?

­ Notice what God promises to Joshua for meditating on the Scriptures. What benefit do you think you will notice in your life if you meditate upon God’s Word often?

­ Prayer: Ask the Lord to engrave on your mind the particular passage that you are studying so that God’s words will guide your decisions and guard your steps.

B. Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

­ Describe the three activities that a person should avoid in order to be deemed blessed?

­ Why is it easy to think often about (i.e. meditate upon) someone or something that you find pleasure in?

­ Examine your spiritual life and ask yourself if the David’s analogy characterizes your life. Allow God to give you unbiased discernment as you scrutinize and critic your relationship with Him.

­ Prayer: Beg God to make you find ultimate pleasure in His Word rather than the people or things of this world. Ask Him to give you the mental discipline to saturate your day with thoughts from His Word.

C. Psalm 119:97 “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

­ It is difficult if not impossible to love someone that you do not know very well. Honestly evaluate your familiarity with the Scriptures. Could it be possible that your heart is not in love with God’s Word because you are simply not well enough acquainted with them?

­ Prayer: Ask God to incline your heart and your affections to the passage that you are studying.

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