Prayer Reflections for Wednesday July 20

Meditation is a practice that many have associated with eastern, non-christian religion. However, meditation has a rich Christian heritage that is rooted in Scripture. J.I. Packer has defined meditation from a christian perspective as follows, "Meditation is the activity of calling to mind , and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God."

Christian meditation is, therefore, different from some forms of meditation. Many non-christian forms focus on the emptying of the mind or the merging of the conscious with the unconscious. Christian meditation is about drinking deeply of the nature and character of God with an active but quiet mind. 

Consider mediation from the practice of the Psalmist. Meditation is a recurring theme and focused on the commands, precepts, promises and works of God. Here are a few examples for reflection:

"I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds." Psalm 77:12

"I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways." Psalm 119:15

"Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works." Psalm 119: 27

"I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes." Psalm 119: 48

"Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts." Psalm 119: 78

"My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise." Psalm 119: 148

"I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands." Psalm 143:5

"On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate." Psalm 1435:5

One of the more interesting passages regarding meditation is found in Psalm 5 where the Psalmist contrast sinning in anger and meditation, "Be angry, and do not sin; meditate in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent."   Selah Psalm 4:5

I leave you with the following from Thomas Merton in Thoughts in Solitude on prayer and meditation:

"In meditative prayer, one thinks and speaks not only with his mind and lips, but in a certain sense with his whole being. Prayer is then not just a formula for words, or a series of desires springing up in the heart - it is the orientation of our whole body, mind and spirit to God in silence, attention and adoration. All good meditative prayer is a conversation of our entire self to God."

Prayer Tip: One of the ways to practice meditation is Scripture memory. We often think of Scripture memory as a discipline rather than a devotion. If we slow down and memorize the text not for intellectual prowess whereby we can impress others but with the goal of meditating on it . We are then free to meditate on his word and commune with him rather or not we have a bible in front of us. I believe Scripture memory combined with meditation can be a tremendous fuel to a fervent prayer life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Sam]

If read in the context in which Wayne quoted Merton, Merton is spot on. Are you suggesting that if individual men and women who may not hold to the same doctrine of the Apostolic faith have nothing to offer to the Christian community? All truth is God's truth and when recognize we Chrinstians should embrace it regarless the messenger. The mark of Christian Maturity is the ability to discern between good and evil with out throwing the baby out with the bath water.

[Kevin]

I was all amen and hallelujah right up until you mentioned Thomas Merton. He actually approved of the very kind of non-Christian meditation you mention. Are you suggesting we look to Merton as an example or a teacher of biblical meditation?

Merton biographer Alexander Lipski wrote that "Merton argued that Zen meditation shatters the false self and restores us to our paradisical innocence which preceded the fall of man." [Thomas Merton and Asia: His Quest for Utopia by Alexander Lipski -- ©1983, Cistercian Publications, Kalamazoo, MI, page 29.]

Merton claimed that there is no reason to believe that God has not revealed himself to other religions.

“Since in practice we must admit that God is in no way limited in His gifts, and since there is no reason to think that He cannot impart His light to other men without first consulting us, THERE CAN BE NO ABSOLUTELY SOLID GROUNDS FOR DENYING THE POSSIBILITY OF SUPERNATURAL (PRIVATE) REVELATION AND OF SUPERNATURAL MYSTICAL GRACES TO INDIVIDUALS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY MAY BE OR WHAT MAY BE THEIR RELIGIOUS TRADITION, provided that they sincerely seek God and His truth. Nor is there any a priori basis for denying that the great prophetic and religious figures of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc., could have been mystics, in the true, that is, supernatural, sense of the word” (Mystics and Zen Masters, p. 207).

I get the sense he was an all inclusive universalist and didn't preach Christ crucified for sin as the only way of salvation and true spirituality. He definitely did not call the mystic practitioners of false religions to repentance and faith in Christ alone.