Why We Should Meditate
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
Between sporting events, my husband and I often watch a movie or find an interesting television program to view. Right now we’re engrossed in a series on the National Geographic Channel called The Story of God, hosted by actor Morgan Freeman. In the six-part series, Freeman travels around the world and examines things like creation, the end of days, and the existence of God himself.
The series has been interesting, but I learned something fascinating in the last program when Freeman interviewed Dr. Andrew Newberg, a professor and Director of Research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital in Philadelphia.
Dr. Newberg is doing research on how meditation on God affects the brain. He proved through brain scans, that those who meditate on God show a dramatic change in their frontal lobe. And I thought, if meditation on God changes the brain, then it can change our thinking, and since the brain is the command center for the body, meditation on God could potentially improve our health.
I shared about this profound research with my Bible study small group, and one woman quoted Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
It was an “aha” moment and it occurred to me that scientists are now discovering what God has been telling us all along. Meditating on God’s Word and on God himself, physically transforms us and renews us.
So why don’t we do it more?
Where do we start?
If we desire to take meditation more seriously, Psalm 119 is a good place to begin. There are seven (God’s perfect number) references to meditation in this Psalm. Here are three specific suggestions of what to meditate on. We should:
1) Meditate on God’s Law.
“I will meditate on your precepts and consider your ways” (Psalm 119:15).
“Your servant will meditate on your decrees” (Psalm 119:23).
When we meditate on God’s law, we understand the difference between what’s right in God’s eyes, and what’s wrong. One of the reasons our society is corroding is because we’ve gotten away from reading the Bible. Because of that, we are not aware of God’s plumb line as laid out in his Word. We are also allowing society to dictate which Scriptures to believe, rather than Scripture dictating how we should live. Psalm 119:24 says God’s law counsels us.
2) Meditate on God’s Goodness.
“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life” (Psalm 119:93).
Our human nature is to dwell on current troubles. Sometimes we don’t see a way out.
What trouble are you in the thick of?
But our God is faithful and he desires our trust. We should meditate on how he has rescued us in the past, and about how he’s prevented us from making wrong choices, at times. We need to remember that God has restored us, and tell him how we know and believe he will restore us again.
3) Meditate on God’s Promises
“My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises” (Psalm 119:148).
God promises to never leave nor forsake you, he promises to supply all your needs, he promises wisdom to those who seek it, and peace. There are more promises in the Bible than this blog can contain. But we can renew our mind, and transform our brain when we meditate on and claim his promises in our lives, rather than our difficulties.
One promise is found in Joshua 1:8 that says if we meditate on God’s law day and night, and if we are careful to do everything written in it, then we will be prosperous and successful.
There’s more to meditation than meets the eye.
It is a supernatural way to connect with God, and now science is proving God uses our minds as his meeting place.