FILLING YOUR BUCKET: MEDITATION ON SCRIPTURE

If you read our last post, you will know Greg Haswell is encouraging us parents to be sure we are "strengthening ourselves in the Lord" as we continually give of our resources to our children. It is not helpful to them or us when we run dry! So, give yourself, your children, and the Lord the gift of filling your tank with the Living Word--enjoy this guided meditation on the first verses of Psalm 40.

Meditation on Scripture 

This is the practice of taking a portion of scripture and spending time revolving it in your mind. As the scriptures are called the sword of the Spirit, ask the Holy Spirit to guide your meditation. 

Here is how to do it practically.

• Find a quiet space and get comfortable. Bring something to write / type on.
• Choose a passage of Scripture to meditate on.
• Read and re-read the passage, revolve it in your mind (which is what meditation means in the original language) and ponder its meaning.
• Ask questions of the text, like “What does that mean?” or “How can I do that?” etc 
• Use your imagination to create a scene in your mind that it describes. Think about it and imagine what it must have felt like to be there and to experience those things. Imagine what tone was used behind the words and what emphasis each word enjoyed.
• Write down things that intrigue you about the passage, or that spark an interest. 
• Say it out loud as you think on it (which is the other meaning in the original language as it means to “mutter”). 
• Pay attention to idioms used or similes. 
• Search out, via a search engine, answers to specific places or phrases used by the author that you don’t know anything about.
• Pray about what you have seen, what bothers you or what you don’t yet understand. You’ll be amazed at how creatively the Lord will respond to these prayers. He loves to share His heart with His people.

Many people are amazed at the high yield of spiritual and emotional recharging can occur just by meditating on scripture. I am attaching an example of both a portion of scripture and the kind of meditation I would do in response to it. I hope that this process will not only bless and refresh you but equip you to be able to use this practice to refresh yourself. Let's take some time to meditate on the first few verses of Psalm 40.

I waited patiently for the Lord;

• Are you waiting for something? What?
• Is patiently the adjective you’d use about your waiting
• What things about God do I have to know to enable me to wait patiently?
• Is it acceptable for me to have other emotions in my heart other than patience? What are these for me?  
• Take some time right now to call out to the Lord - Lord here I am and I’m waiting on you, patiently

 he turned to me and heard my cry.

• Can you picture God turning to you
• What does His expression look like in your imagination - happy to see you, if you imagine Him impatient or angry its not scripturally accurate!
• Can you see Him looking right at you and listening to your cry?
• What do you want to tell Him?

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

• What would it be like if He lifted you out of the slimy pit you are in?
• How will you respond to Him when He lifts you?
• What is the mud and mire of your life?
• Imagine the freedom in your life outside the pit.

    out of the mud and mire; 

• Is patiently the adjective you’d use about your waiting
• What things about God do I have to know to enable me to wait patiently?
• Is it acceptable for me to have other emotions in my heart other than patience? What are these for me?  
• Take some time right now to call out to the Lord - Lord here I am and I’m waiting on you, patiently

he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

• What does a rock represent - where is a safe place for your feet?
• Where is a place that you can stand firm?
• What can you take a stand on?

    

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.

• He has new songs for you, not the old recycled testimonies from long ago when you were young, not the testimonies before you hit hard times or perhaps disappointed yourself - He has a new song for you right now - with all the latent implications that He has not forgotten you, that you are never far from His thoughts, His love is undiminished
• What praises will you sing - what new hymns of thanks?

Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

• Many others will notice what God does for you - When your sustenance comes from Him - His acts on your behalf will be noticed and cause respect for Him
• Through your example they will also trust in Him
• What are you trusting for?

Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,

• Those who trust the Lord are blessed
• What does His blessing look like in your family?
• What bright and blessed future for your family is the fruit of trusting Him