Meditating on the Excellencies of God

First peter 2:9 reads as follows: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

The primary purpose for which God is saving and forming his people is that they might proclaim the greatness and beauty and glory and manifold perfections of God. Therefore, if we’re to fulfill our purpose in Him, we must know him and we must cherish him.

But the question is, How do ordinary, everyday Christians come to know God and his many perfections, and how do we come to cherish him? My main answer is that we meditate on the Scriptures, which I distinguish from studying the Scriptures.

The main word for meditation in the original language of the Old Testament means “to mull over something in one’s mind.” In other words, it means to think about something again and again and yet again. If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate! The word “study” refers to the process by which we discover what a passage of Scripture means. Thus, study precedes meditation because we should not meditate on that which we do not understand. But study is not, in and of itself, sufficient to work the truths of the Scriptures into our hearts and minds and habits of life. We must move beyond study to meditation.

How should a Christian approach the practice of meditation? Here are a few quick thoughts: (1) Find a quite place, away from phones and e-mail and other distractions. We have set aside one of the rooms in our home for prayer and meditation. It is for us a sacred space set aside for communion with God. If you cannot set aside a whole room, at least come to some agreement in your household so that each of you can have uninterrupted time with your heavenly Father. (2) Simply ask your Father to help you think deeply about what you’ve studied. Ask him to open your eyes that you might see. Ask him to help you remain focused. Ask him to help you love him more than anything else. (3) Bring a journal along and note any insights that you have. These often lead to further study, and deeper meditations.

Seeking & Savoring the Glory of God with you,
Pastor Charlie