Christian Meditation
Is it already enough to have read the Bible? If one were to translate what was read in the Bible into daily life then perhaps it is not. Activating what the Bible communicates requires a mental act deeper than merely reading. This is where Christian Meditation comes in.
What is Christian Meditation?
Meditation, says author Rick Warren, is focused thinking. It is a serious effort to muse upon what was read in the Bible and to turn it over and over around in the mind. Christian Meditation is in fact what is commonly referred to as contemplation or reflection; only these terms may not connote the same process as "Christian Meditation" does.
Historically, Christian Meditation may have its roots in the lectio divina of the 4th century AD. It was commonly practiced by the monks of that time. Lectio divina means sacred reading.
The lectio divina has four stages: lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio. Lectio is the reading of a passage in the Scriptures. Meditatio is a discursive meditation where the text is pondered upon. Oratio is affective prayer, a communication with God, asking Him to reveal the truth. Finally, contemplatio is simply resting in the Lord's presence.
How does Christian Meditation compare with traditional meditation?
Christian meditation is similar with traditional meditation in that it involves a deliberate action of the person and it requires time set aside solely for meditation, apart from the turmoil of daily activities.
However, Christian Meditation differs from traditional meditation in that it seeks to be filled by the Lord's grace rather than to be emptied, which is the aim of traditional meditation.
Further, God is the object of Christian meditation compared to the higher self, which is the aim of traditional meditation.
How can Christian Meditation be done?
One can actively turn to the Bible three times during the day. First is upon awaking, in order that the mind can be filled with a message from the Scriptures first thing in the morning. Similarly, the second time is just before sleeping, so that a passage from the Bible is the last thing that occupies the mind and accompanies one through sleep. The third time is a specific time during the day so that God may speak throughout the day.
"If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate," says Rick Warren in his best-selling The Purpose Driven Life. The problem perhaps among many is that they worry more than they meditate.
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