“If we pray without meditation, our own communion with God becomes poor and distant.”- Edmund Clowney
Part Four of Timothy Keller’s book Prayer is entitled “Deepening Prayer”. In Chapter 10 (“As Conversation: Meditating on His Word”), Pastor Keller takes a close look at Psalm 1. He astutely notes that Psalm 1 is not a prayer per se, but a meditation concerning meditation. Meditation is the ordinary way for going spiritually deeper into prayer.
Psalm 1 tells us that meditation promises at least three things:
1. Stability. A person experienced in meditation is like a tree planted by streams of water (v. 4). The image is of someone who can keep going in hard, dry times. Meditation roots our heart and soul in God.
2. The promise of substance, of character. Through meditation we become people of substance who have thought things out and have deep convictions. Thus we can resist pressure and stand our ground, rather that following whims and living shallow lives. While meditation makes us feel close to God, it also changes our life.
3. Blessedness. Blessedness means peace and well-being in every dimension- character growth, stability, and delight. As we meditate on Scripture, we move through duty toward joy.
Today’s question: Which blessing of meditation is missing from your life following your ministry downsizing or vocation loss? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Christian meditation”
