Meditation is very popular these days. If you do a Google search it will return About 269,000,000 results (0.73 seconds). That should be enough to get you started.
- Meditiation
- 1. (n.) Close or continued thought; serious contemplation; reflection; musing; the turning or revolving of a subject in the mind.
2. (n.) Thought; — without regard to kind. –Webster’s
Let me say there are only 2 kinds of meditation in the world. One that involves only yourself and one that involves God. Let’s look at what the Bible says about these.
Self-meditation without God
Without God in your meditation, nothing changes. The world doesn’t change. Circumstances don’t change. You don’t change. When you are done, nothing has changed, everything is the same as it was.
A fool hath said in his heart, ‘God is not;’ They have done corruptly, They have done abominable actions, There is not a doer of good. (Psalm 14:1 Young’s Literal Translation)
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. (Luke 7:39 KJV)
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:16-21 KJV)
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (Luke 18:11 KJV)
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
However, the person who continues to study God’s perfect teachings that make people free and who remains committed to them will be blessed. People like that don’t merely listen and forget; they actually do what God’s teachings say. (James 1:23-25 GWT)
Meditation between you and God
When God is involved in your meditation, things change. The world changes. Circumstances change. You change. When you are done, everything is changed. Even if things are the same.
Because Joseph her husband, a righteous man, was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:19-20 Berean Study Bible)
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. (Luke 2:16-20 NLT)
Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Who will stand by my side against troublemakers? If the LORD had not come to help me, my soul would have quickly fallen silent [in death]. When I said, “My feet are slipping,” your mercy, O LORD, continued to hold me up. When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul. (Psalm 94:16-19 GWT)
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. (Psalm 37:3-6 KJV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own estimation; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will bring healing to your body, and refreshment to your inner self. (Proverbs 3:5-8 NET Bible)
Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be achieved. (Proverbs 16:3)
Which meditation do you practice?
Just like godly sorrow, godly biblical meditation produces results: what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal! (2 Corinthians 7:11)
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 KJV)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. (Psalm 91:1-6 KJV)
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:6-14 KJV)
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein 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. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:6-9)
cf. Proverbs 2:1-5; Psalm 119:15; Psalm 119:42-43; Colossians 3:16; Proverbs 3:1; Deuteronomy 5:29; Isaiah 59:21; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Matthew 7:21; Psalm 19:14; Deuteronomy 5:32-3; Deuteronomy 29:9; James 1:22-25; Deuteronomy 30:14; Psalm 119:97; Deuteronomy 31:11; 1 Timothy 4:14-16; John 14:21; Psalm 37:30-31; John 13:17; Luke 11:28; Psalm 119:99; Psalm 1:1-3; Matthew 28:20; Deuteronomy 17:18-19; Deuteronomy 11:18-19; Matthew 7:24; Matthew 12:35; Ephesians 4:29; Psalm 40:10; Psalm 119:11; Joshua 1:7; Revelation 22:14
Who do you meditate with?
One of the many most awesome names of the Lord is “Knower of hearts.” He is the one you want to meditate with.