Reading the Bible can
show us how God thinks and what His will is for our lives. Thinking and
meditating on His Word, i. e. inspired Scripture can change the way we think
and live. Such a practice will transform our thinking, our attitudes, and
actions for the better.
A
good way to meditate on Scripture is by using your own Bible along with a pen
and your notebook (or journal) for writing down your thoughts while reading the
Bible.
Sometimes called “Journaling”, this is a good way
to both remember and process what God has spoken and may be speaking to you
personally during times you read His Word. Your own notes can be
useful tools for remembering and applying the life-changing insights you may receive.
In
the following is a simple pattern to use for Bible Meditation that relates to PSALM
119:9 which says, “How can
a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.”
Like soap and water, God’s Word - with His Spirit - can bring needed cleansing
to our lives.
Using the letters for “soap” as an
acrostic, here is an easy 4-part approach for “taking heed” to God’s word, that will “cleanse” our way.
S - Pray for God’s blessing, then read a
Chapter or more from your Bible. Take
your time in order to allow Him to speak to you. Afterwards, look for a verse (or verses) that
speaks to you the most and write it all down - word for word - on a clean sheet
of paper in your notebook beside a large letter S. This is your Scripture.
O - Pray again, then read what you have
written and think about what God may be saying in this passage? Ask Him
to teach you from it. Now, write it out
again in your own words - below your Scripture - beside a large letter O.
This is your Observation.
A - Re-read all that you have written and
make it personal by praying, “Lord how does this apply to my life right
now?” (Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, fresh understanding of a
promise, or some correction for a particular area of your life). Now
write out how this scripture applies to you today - below your Observation -
beside a large letter A. This is your Application.
P - Pray for God to help you better understand,
apply and obey this passage. Remember,
prayer is a two way conversation, so be sensitive to what God may want to
emphasize. Then, write out your prayer - below your Application - beside a large
letter P. This is your Prayer.
Afterwards, write a title at the top of the
page for cataloging purposes.
Check out next week’s Devotional for an example
of this approach to Bible meditation and more on how it can work.
Finally, I want to thank Pastor Barry Jenkins
for teaching me about this.
