How To Meditate: Series Recap
Why was this series important? Look no further than King David.
Meditation on God’s Word and prayer were the secret to David’s vibrant spiritual life and keen insight. David exemplifies properly approaching Scripture through meditation and prayer for all who would seek to draw near to God in faith.
1. How did David get more insight than his teachers? It wasn’t because he read more books…
David said that he had more insight than all of his teachers not because he read more, but because he meditated on God’s Word (Psalm 119:99). David is a testimony: insight is gained by meditation, not by floods of unprocessed information.
2. Where did David find hope that he would be able to learn and live the truth he saw in God’s Word?
David made it clear that his trust was in the Lord. He prayed that his eyes would be opened to see truth and that the Holy Spirit would lead him live obediently in God’s will (Psalm 119:18, Psalm 143:10).
David was fixated on God in meditation of God’s Word, and David had a heart for prayer because he understood he was inadequate apart from the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Series Recap:
1. 15 Rock-Solid Reasons to Meditate on God’s Word
2. We Need to Meditate And Get More Insight, Not More Input
3. How to Meditate: 3 Steps of Aggressive Mental Engagement
4. A Model of the 3-Step Process of Meditation
5. Embracing the Ministry of the Holy Spirit As We Meditate
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Related posts:
- Embracing the Ministry of the Holy Spirit As We Meditate
- 15 Rock-Solid Reasons to Meditate on God’s Word
- How To Meditate: 3 Steps of Aggressive Mental Engagement
David was for us a type of Christ; that is, a shadow or silhouette, a picture viewed through a dark glass, as were Adam, Abraham, Joseph, Moses and so many others.
When we read David’s words, bearing in mind that ALL the Scriptures speak of Christ (Lk.24:27, Jn.5:39), we must seek to hear the words of Christ, our “Greater David.” Jesus the child and young man grew into Jesus the man under the tutelage of many instructors, as was Jewish custom in His day. As “Absolute God” he needed no instruction for he knew what was in man (Jn.2:25), but as “Absolute Man” he must submit to it in order to learn obedience through suffering (Heb.5:8).
Hearing, through David’s words, our Lord Jesus saying, “I have more understanding than all my teachers” (Psa.119:99 & context), we must recognize that that these are the the words of the God-man, the one in whom humanity always perfectly expressed subjection to Divinity (Jn.8:28-29). Christ Jesus is our example of submitting to God our Father, of saying continually, “Not my will, but thine…” Just as Jesus was God in man, reconciling the world to himself, so Christ in you and me is our hope of glory. It is as we submit to God’s will, again and again without ceasing, that Christ is fully formed in us (not merely in each of us, but in ALL of us together) to re-form us as one into his perfect bride.
This is the goal of all meditation upon God’s Word and all prayer: that Almighty God, the Creator, Sustainer, and reigning Lord of the universe, may see and enjoy forever the fruit of his labors, the product of his design, and it is his pleasure to include us in his eternal celebration!
I defiantly struggle with the meditation part. I often rely on my intellect to help me limp along.
Great series. I need this.
It is true that we are inadequate without the Spirit’s leading. When Jesus said to ask whatever we want in His name and He will do it, I really believe that it is only in the context of walking in the Spirit when this happens. Why? Because when in the Spirit our desires are transformed to be God-exalting and pointing to Jesus.
Thanks for the recap.
Thank you everyone for commenting.
After reflecting further, I need to add this:
When we look at David, we need to see how he pointed to Christ in three ways…
David pointed to Christ as a type of Christ.
David pointed to Christ as a fallen man in need of Christ.
And David also modeled how a man should live – dependent on Christ while employing his mind to meditate.
It is important, as Al has pointed out, to direct our focus at the end of this series to Christ so that we do not leave thinking, “…so all I have to do to please God is meditate like David.” As Al put it, this is always the danger in discussing the mechanics of godly behavior: that the means may be seen as the end, or, in fact, that the means may be seen as even being “the” means.
Very good, Daniel.