This is the second article on the lost art and skill of the biblical practice of meditation. If you haven’t read the first article please do so now before continuing on with this important subject. Though many Christians may believe in the subject of true meditation, it is from my own experience and research that few understand its significance to the health of the human soul. It is strange how you can agree something is healthy for you and yet never truly engage in pursuing it.
I grew up in northern California during some very stressful times. People feel stressed today yet in those early days of my life there was always something that threatened our very existence, not just our sense of well-being. Growing up in California, which used to be far more conservative in nature, there were so many things happening in our country which were shaking our peace and prosperity. Some people only know of California for its liberalism yet they fail to remember it like I do, as a conservative state. After all President Ronald Reagan got his political start there and his message of a strong America and patriotism resonated with not only us, but the whole country. During the 60s and 70s, California was at a boiling point with the Cuban missile crisis and the assassination of President John Kennedy. Then there was the Viet Nam war and the violence that followed. And don’t forget Berkley, San Francisco and all the hippy movement brought. All these events and more contributed to the ongoing fear of Russia and the cold war. I can remember going through drills at school in order to prepare for a nuclear attack by hiding under our school desks. The country had just gone through the violence and upheaval of the civil rights movement and people started looking in a new and passionate way for relief of their personal fears and anxiety that seemed to cling their souls.
At the same time the Christian faith of many believers was being eroded by the violence and upheaval. The sermons and the practice of going to church every Sunday was no longer cutting it. No longer did the simple teaching of the Bible seem to comfort and transform people as it once did. To be honest, Christianity has always gone through ups and downs with its followers due, in large part, to a lost understanding of what Jesus taught us to practice. It is so easy to embrace a faith your parents or others have experienced and yet never experience the real transformative power of Christ. People started looking for ways to deal with the stress and fear of life outside of the Christian faith. The Beatles embraced Transcendental Meditation and introduced it to the world because of their own longing for the peace. Because of their hunger they convinced the world to follow their experience. The unfortunate thing is they were fooled into practicing a meditation model that was anchored in Hinduism, which is a religion of millions of violent gods. Look at what encyclopedia.com says about this practice.
A popular Hindu meditation technique first taught in the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, an Allahabad University physics graduate who, in the 1940s and 1950s, studied among monks in the Himalayas. Emerging with his teachings in 1958, the Maharishi’s transcendental meditation spread across the United States and Europe by the mid-1960s. Due largely to the endorsements of celebrities such as the Beatles, Jane Fonda, and Mia Farrow, TM became one of the first forms of Eastern meditative practices to receive widespread media attention in the West. Essentially, TM is a streamlined form of the ancient Hindu initiation of bestowing a mantra, or sacred Sanskrit word or phrase, for the pupil to meditate upon for a short period each day.
I can remember exploring such practices until I found out TMs true nature and philosophy was dressed up Hinduism. Satan will always try to counterfeit everything God does and says to win converts. He promises freedom only to take freedom away. Satan motivated huge numbers of Americans to start meditating using TMs techniques to gain peace in their souls only to discover they now had more stress and problems than before. If they had people of real spiritual discernment in their lives they would discover they had opened doors to demonic oppression or possession.
In its basic element meditation happens when one engages in “Contemplation or Reflection“. It is in reality a closer inspection of things and ideas to discover what’s below the surface, value or fraud. It is the pursuit to investigate what is of true value.
As far back as Genesis the practice of meditation was used to gain wisdom and truth. Whereas easter religion tries to get us to clear our mind, true biblical meditation gets us to focus our mind and soul. More on easter meditation later.
Genesis 24:63
Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.
Abraham had sent his best servant to find a bride for his son Isaac. His pursuit was not to look for the prettiest women around, but the most noble. Isaac’s responsibility was to prepare himself to know when the right woman was in front of him rather than being persuaded by mere physical beauty. Is there any wonder more than 50% of all marriages fail in our culture? Is it not because we have lost the fine art and skill of biblical meditation? I think so.
Paul told his followers how to be successful and not be bewitched by mere appearances.
Philippians 4:8”
Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
We get to understand what is valuable and worthwhile by looking at what’s good. Then and only then can we pick out the lies, dishonesty and the corruption.
More than ever, our current culture is looking for a quick fix rather than a long-term cure to what ails us.
Psalms 1:1-2
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
As we explore this subject further, please do a simple scripture search on meditation. There are some 20 or so passages that talk about the importance and the nature of biblical meditation. Write them out including the surrounding text to establish your own journey in this vital practice.
Questions:
1) Have you struggled with anxiety or depression? Meditation can bring great peace into you soul.
2) Are you struggling with being consistent in your faith? Meditation can strengthen your resolve.
May the Holy Spirit empower us to glean from the scripture those truths that are meant to make us strong and healthy in our walk with God.
Pastor Dale
Leave a Comment