Young Adults' Group

The Challenge To Meditate

by Pastor Mark
July 01, 2021

A learning process

These last two months have been a wonderful time of learning from Pastor Charles to meditate better on the Lord and His Word. I recognise that it is not easy seeking to put the principles learnt into practice. But if we seek to do our part and to keep practising, we can grow and progress in our meditation of the Lord’s Word. An essential aspect of meditation is our focus. When we are faced with difficulties and problems, we tend to focus on that which is negative and disheartening. Through meditation, we can learn to focus on that which is good and uplifting. Three things have helped me to learn to focus better.

1. Basic yet profound

When David was experiencing spiritual dryness and thirst in the wilderness, he sought the Lord early rather than to delay (Ps 63:1). He was looking to God to see His power and glory (Ps 63:2). He sought to recall the lovingkindness of God (Ps 63:3). The lovingkindness of God was a basic idea that David had written about before, “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!” (Ps 36:7) Amidst the challenges of life, we can forget such basic ideas. David sought the Lord, and God reminded him of His lovingkindness. In meditation, we are reminded of the basics. But the basics can be profound too, what Pastor termed as “profound basics”. David wrote further, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life.” (Ps 63:3) It is indeed a profound thought. We tend to think that life is better with wealth, family, power and more. But many problems continue to exist. God’s lovingkindness is so much better than all these things. All we need in life is God’s lovingkindness. All other things don’t matter as much. Let us meditate and focus on the lovingkindness of God as a “profound basic”.

2. General to the specific

There was a time when David was feeling distressed and overwhelmed. As a recourse, he sought to pray to God and meditate on His works (Ps 143:4,5). From memory, David recalled the works of God. He did not just dwell on the general works of God. He sought to muse or ruminate on God’s works more specifically, “I muse on the work of Your hands.” (Ps 143:5) God’s specific hand was involved. An example of God’s specific work was how, through Moses, He sent the third plague of lice. When the magicians of Egypt could not duplicate it, they described it to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” (Ex 8:19) For David, he traced God’s hand in his life and it inspired him to pray. We thank God for the specific works of His hands in our lives. In Bethany, God’s hand has been evidenced over all these 48 years. Let us take time to muse over His special works.

3. External to the internal

Another lesson learnt about meditation is the development of thought. As we meditate, there should be greater development in our thinking. For David, some would declare the mighty acts of the Lord. (Ps 145:4) But David went beyond just seeing that which was external. He saw that which was internal. He wrote, “I will meditate on the glorious splendour of Your majesty and on Your wondrous works.” (Ps 145:5) There was a greater development of the understanding of God in His works. He meditated and saw the glorious splendour of God’s majesty. It was what he saw inside of the works of God. Meditation helps us to see more deeply all that God does and how He does them. The challenge is not only to see the external but also to understand the internal.

Let us be challenged to develop our meditation and focus on the Lord and His Word

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