What a sad departure from the Biblical practice of considering our God.
Meditation is not found in yoga. In fact, yoga has deep roots in Hinduism. Each yoga exercise is a position of the gods. It can be far more harmful than helpful. Christian meditation is fundamentally different from secular meditation. The Bible has clear directions on how we must exercise this powerful act.
The Bible reveals mediation is expectant waiting on God, with a heart that yearns for understanding.
It was Isaac who demonstrated this, waiting on God for his bride to come. Let us look at Genesis 24:63: And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming.
Here was a successful businessman, Isaac, who understood the power of meditation over the things of the Lord. As Isaac meditated on the Lord, God brought Rebekah; the fruit of the next generation was upon them.
Meditation is a contemplation of God, a practice of silent reflection, with great reward.
Isaiah says in Chapter 40, verse 31: “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
In meditation, we pause and reflect over the Lord’s word.
Meditation is preparation that ushers us before our King.
If you desire to meet a king, there are many protocols involved. Before Esther could meet her king, she had to bathe in perfumed water for six months. Today, no person would dare stroll into Buckingham Palace without an invitation by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, not even her own citizens.
In royal courts across the nations, an audience with royalty requires one to wait. No citizen sets those appointments. Our King’s time is His own. As we wait upon the Lord, He strengthens His waiting children. In this holy wait, there is much reward.
Meditation prepares us for victory.
Joshua, as he prepared to lead the one million plus Israelites into the Promise Land, was instructed by the Lord to meditate:
Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them….This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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. (Joshua 1:6-8)
Meditation precipitates action.
What you meditate on, you act upon. If you meditate on God’s word, you will have great success.
When seeking to lead the Israelites, Joshua was told, do this one thing: meditate on God’s Word day and night. Upon entry to Canaan, Joshua conquered 31 kings, despite a manna-raised army who were circumcised just a few days prior to battle!
Meditation shifts our minds to God’s perspective.
Consider what you are meditating upon right now: Is it a fear, a worry, a problem? Our thoughts can be toxic, consumed with the stresses of life. Statistics show that 80% of our thoughts are negative.
Instead of meditating on your problems, we need to meditate on God’s promises.
David, Israel’s conquering king, withstood thirteen years of being on Saul’s Most Wanted List. He shares how he navigated the ongoing battle:
Ps 1:1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.(KJV)
Meditation is strategic daily focus on the Lord.
What is happening around you will become irrelevant when God offers us a different perspective.
As we meditate on God’s word, wisdom invades our worldly mindsets and gives us victory.
The psalmists knew this. Psalm 119:23 states “Even though Princes also sit and speak against me, But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.” And “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my mediation” (vs 99).
The next time the enemy comes knocking at your mind with anxiety, take time to meditate on what the Lord God did for you last week. Keep a list of everything God has done for you. Keep adding to that list. Then, when you feel discouraged, go to that list and meditate on His goodness.
If you meditate more than you pray, more than you intercede, then understanding, perspective and peace will be your reality. Mediation creates a vacuum for demons, just as negative thoughts creates windows for demons to access your house.
The greatest asset of a warrior is not their weapon, but their mind. What you are considering matters. Make meditation your new practice and watch the Lord bless your every battle!
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