Recently, I blogged about WHY to meditate on the Word. Today, I want to talk about HOW!
One of the first tools I learned that helped launch me into a life of prayer was something called Revelation Through Meditation. The way I’m going to present it is borrowed and tweaked from Jake Hamilton, who borrowed and tweaked it from Kirk Bennett. (If you want to listen to 18 minutes of Jake teaching the process for a YWAM group in 2010, it’s an absolute goldmine and highly engaging.)
The goal is to focus on one Bible verse and soak yourself in it as deeply as you can through several different creative means. This model is not law, but it is a helpful tool for you to use as a launching pad, and it’s an easy way to teach others to meditate on Scripture. Use it and adapt it as you like.
I recommend setting aside 30 minutes to an hour to do this. When it begins to feel long–and it will, because the spirit is willing but the flesh is super weak–embrace the tension and resist the urge to call it quits. Let yourself get to the point that you’re not operating out of the strength of your own flesh but rather the grace of the Holy Spirit.
1. Divide Your Paper Into Four Sections
1. Bible Verse:
At the top of the page, copy one verse from your Bible. If you don’t know where to start, almost any verse from Psalms will do. Read the passage through once to get an idea of the context, then set your Bible aside. The goal is to interact with just this one verse without distraction for a good length of time.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
(Psalm 19:1).
2. Doodle Zone:
This section should take up the majority of your paper. It will be a blank canvas for writing and/or drawing as you interact with this verse.
3. Brain Dump:
This is where you will “take every thought captive” (1 Corinthians 10:5) by writing down all the to-do list items that suddenly pop into your mind to distract you while you are meditating. Suddenly remember you need to send an email, do laundry, and go shopping? Write it down and do it later.
4. Study Later:
Often, you will find yourself distracted by curiosity about the verse. “What’s the Hebrew word for ‘work’? How many times is the word ‘glory’ in the Bible? What was the original context of this Psalm?” These are great questions, but they are not the focus right now. Write them down and look them up later.
2. Read It, Write It, Say It, Sing It, Pray It
Now that your paper is prepared, it’s time use several different approaches to soak in this verse as thoroughly as possible. As you dive deep, remember that no matter how familiar you may already be with this verse, there is always more to encounter through it. The Word of God is like a thousand sided gem, and every time the light refracts from it, you see something you never saw before.
1. Read It:
First, simply read the verse. Read it over and over.
2. Write It:
This is the time to use your doodle zone. Some people like to use this space to simply write the verse over and over. Repetitive writing helps reinforce memory. Another great idea is to journal your thoughts about the verse, phrase by phrase. I have a lot of fun creatively interpreting the verse through doodling and drawing. Even if you’re not an artist, you can write big letters and small letters, with underlining here and there and stars and “glory” lines doodled around the words. Give the verse a form to take on paper.
3. Say It:
Say the verse over and over. Whisper it to yourself. Emphasize different words. Taste the phrases. Let them wash over you. This is how you memorize Scripture and get it written on your heart.
4. Sing It:
This may be the most powerful part of this meditation model. Make up your own song using the verse. You might start word-for-word, and then put the ideas of the verse in your own words. It doesn’t matter how you sound, and you can sing quietly if you want to. Singing a verse or an idea will burn it into your heart like nothing else, and it will be so precious to the Lord.
“I know what you’re thinking; you’re thinking, ‘Well, I don’t sing.’ Even better. You know why that’s even better? Because it doesn’t cost me anything to sing a song because I know I can sing. When you sing, and you don’t know how to sing, it becomes a sacrifice only you can give to God… A year from now, you’ll have hundreds of songs that only you and God know. You ever heard anybody talk about a secret history with God? You’re building one. You won’t even remember the song tomorrow, but guess Who will. You’re gonna get to heaven one day, and God’s gonna say to you, ‘I loved your song about John 3:16.’ And you’re gonna go, ‘…how’d that go again?’ And He’s going to remember it. And you’re gonna have hundreds and thousands of little songs just like a child sings.”
(Jake Hamilton, YWAM Kona, 9-18-10)
5. Pray It:
Hopefully, you’ve already been talking to God through this verse this whole time, but now try using this verse to pray over specific areas in your heart or specific situations in your life or in the world.
“God, help me understand this. Help me live in light of this truth. Reveal this to others. Do what You promised.”
It’s as simple as that! Happy meditating!
Have you ever used this model before, or any pieces of it? Which piece sounds the most fun or helpful? Tell me in the comments!
