Meditation: Gazing on God

Contemplative spirituality, on the other hand, is concerned with slowing down to be with God, focusing on such practices as:2 awakening and surrendering to God’s love in any and every situation; positioning ourselves to hear God and remember his presence in all we do; communing with God, allowing him to fully indwell the depth of our being; practic

read, reflect, respond, and rest.

In addition to these distinctives, let’s define meditation as deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture, or upon life from a scriptural perspective, for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer. Meditation goes beyond hearing, reading, studying, and even memorizing as a means of taking in God’s Word.

Meditation is staying our minds on the Lord, loving Him with every thought, fearing Him, and delighting in His commands.

If we read, hear, or study God’s Word without meditating on it, we shouldn’t be surprised that applying Scripture to concrete situations is so difficult. Perhaps we could even train a parrot to learn every verse of Scripture that we ourselves have memorized, but if we don’t apply those verses to life they won’t be of much more lasting value to us t