Since January of 2019, I have been meditating Isaiah 43:18 and 19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
When I say meditate, you may picture in your mind a bald monk, dressed in an orange robe, sitting crisscross in a monastery on the top of a mountain in Tibet humming “Oomme.” That is not what I am referring to when I tell you I have been meditating. To clarify, I will give you some definitions of what it means to mediate.
To meditate means to ponder or mutter.
Ponder means to think continually and mutter means to speak continually.
Everyone meditates.
Allow me to share a few examples. Let’s say you were in a relationship with someone. You meditate by dreaming of them at night, thinking of them from the moment you wake up, daydreaming about them in class or at work, wondering how they are doing, posting on social media telling all your followers about how amazing your new boyfriend/girlfriend is, and you won’t stop talking about them to your friends and family.
Another form of meditation is worry. For example, one of your parents is sick and you wonder if they are going to get worse and die. You have fearful thoughts of their death, wondering how you will live without them. You can’t sleep at night because you’re afraid of waking up to them dead and you begin to vocalize all your worries to friends, family, and coworkers. By worrying, you’ve been meditating.
God created each and every one of us with a soul (mind, emotions, feelings, will, and intellect) where we have the ability to think and created with a mouth with which we have the ability to speak.
Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them.”
God created us like Him; with the ability to think and speak.
The Bible records God’s thoughts and words and the outcome of those thoughts and words. For example, Genesis 1:2 and 3, “The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”
There is so much power in meditation. Whatever you think on and speak on becomes your reality. God thought about creating Earth, which lead Him to speak the world into existence and so, it was!
If what we think and speak comes to pass, then we should take special care and attention toward what we are thinking and speaking; or another way to say, on what we meditate.
God is the One who created us; therefore, He knows the purpose for which we have been created and the path for us to fulfill that purpose.
If we started out being made in the image and likeness of God, then we need to finish out living in the image and likeness of God.
How do we do that?
Colossians 1:15 and 16 says, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.”
Jesus is the image of God.
Who is Jesus?
John 1:1 says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The Word was God. Who is the Word?
John 1:14, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”
Jesus, the Son of God, is the Word of God made human. Therefore, in order for us to fulfill our God-given purpose and destiny, we need to meditate the Word of God (Jesus).
God says in Joshua 1:8, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”
God created us to prosper and succeed, but in order for us to experience that, we must meditate the Bible day and night and obey everything written in it.
God knows that if we think and ponder the Word of God continually, as well as speak the Word of God day and night, then we will be prosperous and successful.
Since I have been meditating Isaiah 43:18 and 19, I have seen fruits of success and prosperity in all areas of my life: spiritually, emotionally, mentally, financially, relationally, professionally, and in ministry. God and I want the same for you!
So, how do you begin this journey? I am going to walk you through it. First and foremost, if you have never accepted Jesus, the Son of God, as your personal Lord and Savior, then right now is your time to do so. Since Jesus is the Word of God, and the Word of God is what is required to meditate in order to be prosperous and successful, then you need to start by opening up your heart to Jesus and receiving Him as your personal Lord and Savior to begin this journey.
Say this prayer out loud:
“Heavenly Father, I believe in my heart Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe Jesus died for my sins. God, I’m sorry for all my sins and I ask you to forgive me. I believe that You raised Jesus from the dead and I say with my mouth Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Now I am saved, I have chosen life and I am Heaven bound. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”
Now that you have started your journey by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, now is the time to focus on meditating the Bible.
What are some ways to meditate the Bible? I am glad you asked, because I am going to tell you about four different ways you can meditate the Bible.
1. Vocal Meditation
2. Visual Meditation
3. Musical Meditation
4. Written Meditation
Let’s start with Vocal Meditation:
This is where you choose one or more scriptures to speak out loud over yourself. It is basically like turning the scripture(s) into a prayer, putting your name, into the scripture, and personally applying yourself to it.
Let’s use the above example as an illustration of how to vocally meditate instead of worry. Hypothetically, your family member was diagnosed with an illness and you’re felling afraid and anxious. Instead of meditating negatively, “What if they are going to get worse and die or how will I live without them?” meditate the Word of God by choosing a scripture such as John 14:27, “I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!”
How you would vocally meditate John 14:27 is by speaking the scripture out loud over yourself. Say, for example:
“Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus name. I am feeling very afraid and anxious since hearing about my loved one’s diagnosis. I know you love me and right now I turn to you for love, comfort, and peace. Jesus, you are my perfect peace. You never change; therefore, I permanently have peace. I will not yield to fear or be troubled in my heart or mind because You are near. I am strong and courageous by your grace.”
Choose other scriptures that are applicable and vocally meditate those as well.
Next, we will discuss Visual meditation:
This is where you choose one or more scriptures to draw, sketch or paint after putting yourself into the scripture and thinking about what it is revealing to you. You could also choose images from magazines and create a board or binder of what the scripture is revealing to you by gluing or taping the magazine clippings together. Again, you are putting yourself into the scripture and personally applying yourself to it but in an even more creative way.
Someone who was visually meditating John 14:27 might paint a picture of a tranquil beach and calming sunset to illustrate peace. Another may draw or sketch an image of themselves with a large shield protecting their mind and heart from ‘arrows’ of anxiety, fear, and worry, symbolizing that Jesus was their shield.
You may also draw, sketch, or paint other scriptures that relate to this scripture as well.
Moving on to Musical meditation:
This is where you choose one or more scriptures to sing out loud over yourself. The ‘lyrics’ of the song would be from your heart as you put yourself into the scripture and personally apply it to yourself. Now, before you scroll down and think, “I can’t sing and I can’t play an instrument, therefore, I’m not meditating this way,” let me inform you that everyone can musically meditate. Sure, some people may know how to play instruments and you can play those instruments while you musically meditate, but you don’t have to know how to play an instrument to musically meditate. You could put on some worship music or an instrumental and sing the scriptures to the melody of the song.
Even if you don’t have an ounce of rhythm or don’t sing ‘well’, God has made each and everyone of us with vocal cords which is a string instrument that we can play by singing to God. God loves your voice, He made it, therefore, play the instrument of your vocal cords by meditating musically.
If you were to musically meditate John 14:27, you could sing:
“Peace you leave with me, Your peace You’ve given me. Jesus is a gift to me that I receive. Jesus is my Prince of Peace, caring for and keeping me free from anxiety, trouble, and fear. I don’t have to fear, because Jesus is near. He casts out all fear and keeps me safe. He drives all my worries away, so that I am happy today.”
You could sing other scriptures that relate to this one as well.
Finally, we will conclude with Written Meditation:
You will choose one or more scriptures to write out in a journal and then you will write your thoughts on the scripture, what the scripture is revealing to you, and how that scripture personally applies to you in your own words.
An example of written meditation of John 14:27 would be getting out your journal and writing the following:
“Jesus has given me peace because He has given me Himself and He IS peace. Therefore, since I have Jesus living on the inside of me, I have peace dwelling inside my heart, guarding my heart and mind from worry and anxious or fearful thoughts. The scripture says, “Do no let your hearts be troubled.” When I read this, I saw for the first time that I had the power to either allow my heart to be troubled or not. Today, I choose to not allow my heart or mind to be troubled by anxiety because Jesus is my reality therefore, peace is my reality.”
You also may write other scriptures that relate to this scripture.
A few last things that are worth mentioning when you are starting the journey of meditating scriptures are:
I encourage you to read the scripture or scriptures you have chosen in multiple translations to expand your understanding.
Some of my favorite translations to reference from are the:
1. New International Version
John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
2. New Living Translation
John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid.”
3. The Passion Translation
John 14:27, “I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!”
4. The Voice
John 14:27, “My peace is the legacy I leave to you. I don’t give gifts like those of this world. Do not let your heart be troubled or fearful.”
5. The Message Paraphrase
John 14:27, “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So, don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.”
6. The Amplified Version
John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]”
7. New King James Version
John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
If you are not sure how to access other translations of the Bible, www.biblegateway.com is a great reference.
Also, if you have a smart phone, download the You Version Bible App to read different translations as well.
If you are not sure what the Bible says about various subjects, I have a downloadable file that lists a variety of subjects and scriptures that you can reference to meditate. Email reillyteresita.beautyforashes@gmail.com to request the Meditation Scripture Manual. I personally have put this list together, but this is not a complete list.
If you do not have a physical Bible and would like one, please message me and I would be delighted to provide you with your very own Bible! My grandparents blessed me with the very first Bible I ever read when I was 16, and because I chose to read, think, and speak it day and night, I now am living in a lot of prosperity and success because of it! Also, I now preach out of that very Bible that was given to me! Therefore, I would like to make sure that you have one too!
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