IV. Meditating on the Word
In the last
post, I discussed the need to hear and read the Word. Now we will go beyond
reading the Word to meditating on it. The Bible promises special blessings for
meditating on God’s Word. Joshua 1:8 promises prosperity and success to those
who meditate on God’s Word at moments throughout the day. Psalm 1:1-3 says that
meditating on God’s Word results in stability, fruitfulness, perseverance, and
prosperity (Whitney, 1991, pp. 44-45).
Hearing and
reading the word have been compared to a brief rainfall on hard ground.
Meditation, however, soaks the soul with God’s Word and allows it to penetrate
deep beneath the surface (Whitney, 1991, pp. 45-46). Studying God’s Word is an
intellectual quest for meaning and understanding. It provides one with
knowledge about God and his will for us. Meditation leads us into an encounter
with God. It internalizes and personalizes the passage (Foster, 1988, p. 29).
Another way
to consider the difference is to contrast informational reading with
formational reading (Mulholland, 1993, pp. 110-111). Informational reading
seeks to control the text: We select the material, we come with our own agenda,
and we read it as quickly as possible to find answers to our questions.
Formational
reading, or spiritual reading, is open to God’s control of our lives for God’s
purposes. We allow God to set the agenda. We approach Scripture with an open
mind. We let God question us through his Word. In spiritual reading, we plumb
the depths of the text so that the text may plumb the depths of our being and
doing.
Sometimes
we need to read less in order to meditate more. We need to read for quality as
well as quantity. We need depth as well as breadth. We need to slow down and
savor the Word rather than gulping it down too quickly. Instead of hurrying to
get to the end of a text, we need to take time to get to the bottom of it
(Edwards, 1995, p. 93).
A
tried-and-true method of meditation on Scripture is called lectio divina, a Latin phrase that means “divine
reading.” This practice goes back to ancient monasticism. It was promoted by Saint Benedict
in the sixth century, and it eventually was developed into a four-stage process
by a Carthusian monk named Guigo II in AD 1150. Protestant leaders such as John
Calvin and Richard Baxter practiced this method of reflective meditation on
scripture (Thompson, 1995). Because this spiritual practice has proven so
beneficial through the centuries, I am going to explain it here.
A. Preparing for Lectio Divina
Preparing
for lectio divina requires attention
to four crucial elements: time, place, mind, and body.
1. Time
Set aside a
certain amount of time, preferably an hour, each day or week to meditate on a passage
of Scripture. Set a time when you are less likely to become drowsy. You should
also avoid interruptions or distractions during that time. For most people, an
hour in the early morning might be the best time for this.
2. Place
Select a
place that is free from distractions. A prayer room or prayer closet would be
ideal. Each of us must find or create our own poustinia, a place of simplicity and isolation
that limits outer distractions to that we can focus on the presence of God.
3. Mind
As you prepare
for the reading, seek to quiet and clear the mind. Keep a notepad handy to jot
down any anxieties or tasks to be completed that would weigh on your mind
during this time. This procedure will release your mind from anxiety that these
concerns will be forgotten later. Begin to focus the mind on the presence of
Christ.
4. Body
The next
step is to quiet the body. Sit in an upright position with the feet flat on the
floor. Keep the head balanced on the spine like a ball on a pole. Begin to take
slow, deep breaths and quietly command the body to relax. Some find it helpful
to repeat a prayer in time with the breathing such as the classic Jesus Prayer:
“Lord Jesus” (breathe in), “have mercy” (breathe out).
Once the
body has been stilled and the mind has been centered on the presence of Christ,
you are ready to begin the four stages of lectio
divina. These stages have sometimes been compared to the process of eating,
as I will illustrate below. Another way of thinking about these four stages is
the poetic description of Dom Marmion:
We
read (Lectio)
under
the eye of God (Meditatio)
until
the heart is touched (Oratio)
and
leaps to flame. (Contemplatio)
B. Stage 1: Lectio = Taking a Bite
Now read
the passage slowly. Read each sentence as if it is the first time you have read
it. Adopt an attitude of listening to what the Spirit says through the Word.
Expect God to speak to you. Try not to think too much about the meaning of the
words; rather, let the Spirit tell you what he wants you to know about that
passage. Read a phrase at a time and repeat it slowly as you let the Word soak
into your mind and heart. Imagine that the Spirit is saturating your spirit
with God’s Word so that it becomes part of your very being. You may find that a
particular part of the passage consumes your attention, and so you remain there
as the Spirit impresses its significance upon you.
C. Stage 2: Meditatio = Chewing on the Word
In
this stage, allow the Holy Spirit to carry out his role of illuminating the
Word. In John 14:26, Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would
teach them everything and remind them of all that Jesus said to them.
Christians have understood this promise as applying to more than just the
original twelve disciples but to all future believers. As we expose our mind
and heart to God’s Word, his Spirit reveals its significance and relevance to
us. The concept of illumination does not mean that the Spirit reveals a new
truth to us apart from Scripture but that he works through Scripture to let us
know what we need to do and what we need to tell others that they need to do.
During this
stage, enter the text and personally experience it. Some may find it helpful to
use the method of praying with the imagination. This approach to prayer is
especially helpful when focusing on a biblical narrative. T. Hall (1988)
describes the method in this way:
In this approach, called “contemplation” in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius… one enters by means of imagination into a Gospel scene, seeing and hearing the persons, imagining the touch and smells of the environment, etc. I might identify with some person in the scene, or be present there as myself, watching, listening, experiencing what is going on. For example… my imagination might be used in recreating the scene…. And so I hear these words of Jesus addressed to me, and I receive his gaze with my own eyes. What do I see in those eyes as he speaks to me? And how shall I respond? (p. 40)
D. Stage 3: Oratio = Savoring the Word
Now that you
have heard the Word, respond to it by opening your heart to God for direct
communication and opening your will to God for responsive action. Enter into a
dialogue with God about the text. The meditatio
stage primarily involved the intellect, but in this stage the goal is to
bring the mind into the heart. Consequently, this stage is sometimes referred
to as “the prayer of the heart.” It involves not only thinking about God but
also experiencing intimacy with him. Hall says that “in this prayer, our hearts
are opened to him and by him, so that his light may enter” (1988, p. 42). She
also describes it as “the unique and spontaneous voice of the heart which is
touched by God and reaches out to him in ardent love” (p. 44).
E. Stage 4: Contemplatio = Digesting the Word
In this
last stage, sit in the quiet and enjoy the peaceful presence of God. Be fully
attentive to and present with God. Wait on God for whatever he wants to do in
you, with you, and through you. Experience the love of God in ways that are too
deep for words. This aspect of prayer has often been compared to two lovers who
sit in total silence, simply enjoying the presence of the other without feeling
any need for verbalizing their feelings. This stage has been described as
resting in God, casting our gaze upon God, and paying rapt attention to God.
Psalm 131:2 provides a helpful image for contemplation: “But I have calmed and
quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the
weaned child that is with me” (NRSV). The weaned child is not straining to
receive anything from its mother but simply basking in her love.
A Southern
preacher once described these four stages this way: “I read myself full, I
think myself clear, I pray myself hot, and I let myself cool” (Edwards, 1995,
p. 94).
Reflection Questions:
1. When you study the
Bible, do you generally focus more on quantity or quality?
2. What time and
place would be best for you to meditate on the Word?
3. Try the practice
of lectio divina. What did you find
helpful about it? What made you uncomfortable?
Recommended
Resources:
Edwards, T. H. (1995). Living in the
presence: Spiritual exercises to open our lives to the awareness of God. San Francisco: HarperOne.
Foster, R. J. (1988). Celebration
of discipline: The path to spiritual growth (Rev. ed.). San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
Mulholland, R. (2001). Shaped
by the Word: The power of Scripture in spiritual formation. Nashville: Upper Room Books.
Smith, M. L. (1989). The
Word is very near you: A guide to praying with Scripture. Cambridge, MA:
Cowley.
Thompson, M. (1995). Soul
feast: An invitation to the Christian spiritual life. Louisville,
KY: Westminster
John Knox Press.
Whitney, D. S. (1991). Spiritual
disciplines for the Christian life. Colorado
Springs, CO: NavPress.
Next
topic: Meditation:
Looking Within
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