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Meditation: Encountering God through Scripture

Meditation is pondering the Word in our hearts, preaching it to our own souls, and personally applying it to our own lives and circumstances. It is how we sanctify our thinking and bring it into submission to Christ—taking every thought captive. Paul tells us in Romans 12: Joshua had been the personal assistant to Moses throughout the 40 years of wilderness wandering. Upon the death of Moses, Joshua succeeded him by spending the rest of his life settling and governing the 12 tribes of Israel. He was a great warrior who disciplined his forces and sent out spies—but he also prayed and trusted in God. God would give Joshua a three-fold call that would encourage this leader, “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6–7, 9). Nestled in the middle of these verses is an even stronger exhortation (Joshua 1:8). Do not let the Scriptures cease to proceed from your mouth. Joshua was to recite God’s Word continually. Meditate on it day and night. Joshua was to meditate on what we now call the first five books of the Bible, the Law of Moses. Be careful to do everything recorded in God’s Word. Joshua was to obey all God’s commands by fully acting upon what He had spoken repeatedly. Meditation engages not just the mind, but requires using our mouths. This entails memorization, as well as recitation of the Scriptures. As a spirit of faith stirs within us, we then begin a mental and vocal interaction with God, i.e. meditating on God’s Word (Hebrews 4:2; 2 Corinthians 4:13). Jesus is the Word incarnate, assuring us that those whose mouths “feed” on Him will have life (John 1:1, 14 John 6:57).