LION OF JUDAH ROARS July to September King David was a Contemplative

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1 King David was a Contemplative Meditation and contemplation are a part of everyday life for people of all ages. Without them people would not grow in knowledge and expertise. Without them people would not grow in relationship to each other. Without them Christians would not draw close to God and learn of His ways. Yet there are people in the Church who are fearful of meditation and contemplation. They ardently and hostilely preach, teach and write against meditation and contemplation and those who practice them and advocate their use. This article will define meditation and contemplation. It will present a survey of the Bible on the use of meditation and contemplation by people in the Bible and discuss the role of meditation and contemplation in the Christian life. Some Definitions Meditate 1 1. to think about something deeply 2. to reflect deeply on spiritual matters, esp. as a religious act 3. to plan, consider, or think of doing (something) Synonyms of meditate include: reflect, mull (over), ponder, muse, and contemplate. Meditation 2 1. the act of meditating; contemplation; reflection 2. contemplation of spiritual matters, esp. as a religious practice Contemplate 3 1. to think about intently and at length; consider calmly 2. (Christianity/Ecclesiastical Terms) to think intently and at length, esp. for spiritual reasons; meditate 3. to look at thoughtfully; observe pensively Contemplation 4 1. thoughtful or long consideration or observation 2. spiritual meditation esp. (in Christian religious practice) concentration of the mind and soul upon God. Copyright July 2013 by Joy Paulson. Published by Gospel Tramway. Page 1

2 Orthodox (adj) 5 1. conforming with established or accepted standards, as in religion, behavior, attitudes 2. conforming to the Christian faith as established by the early Church Trinity In orthodox Christianity, the doctrine that there is one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. As can be readily seen, the definitions, uses, and/or meanings of meditation and contemplation considerably overlap. However, beyond the standard dictionary definitions in Christianity, meditation is generally considered to be the more active spiritual discipline; the one engaged in meditation is actively thinking about or dwelling on something or someone. Contemplation, on the other hand, can be more passive or quiet or silent, i.e. being silent or listening rather than active study, prayer or reflection. The reasons for including orthodox and Trinity in the definitions will be explained later in this article. Meditation, Contemplation, and the Bible The word meditation appears in the Bible 6 times, meditate 15 times, and meditates 2 times. All of these occurrences are in the Old Testament, but the practice of meditation as defined above is clearly found in the New Testament as well. Old Testament - Meditation and Contemplation The word meditation appears in the Bible beginning in Genesis: Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening (Gen. 24:63 NASB). Joshua tells the nation of Israel, when entering the Promised Land, not to let the book of the law depart from their mouth, but rather meditate on it day and night so that they would keep the law. Then Joshua connects prosperity and success to the keeping of the law (see Joshua 1:8 NASB). Most occurrences of the words meditate and meditation are in the Psalms. It is in the Psalms that we see King David pouring his heart out to the Lord. Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still. (Ps. 4:4b NASB) Copyright July 2013 by Joy Paulson. Published by Gospel Tramway. Page 2

3 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple. (Ps. 27:4 NASB) When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. (Ps. 63:6 NASB) Psalm 63:1-2 (NASB) reads, O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. David by His own confession engaged in meditation as a part of His love of and devotion to the LORD. He says so without apology; it was a normal part of life for a person living for the LORD. He sought the LORD; he meditated on the LORD; he longed for (thirsted for) the LORD; he beheld the LORD; he saw the power and glory of the LORD. How did David behold the beauty of the LORD? How did David see the power and glory of the LORD? I submit that it was in contemplation that he experienced (beheld the beauty and saw the power and the glory of the LORD). It was for David, and is for us, a deep inner connection with the LORD in the deepest recesses of the spirit and soul. I showed earlier that there is overlap between meditation and contemplation. As stated before, meditation is more active and contemplation more passive. Contemplation, to this author, occurs in the times where we are in awestruck wonder at the LORD s goodness, holiness or love. Words escape us. All we can do is adore Him, love Him, appreciate Him and long for more of Him. These are times of silence or quiet. In Psalm 42, David is longing for God in a time of trouble and it is the longing aspect of this Psalm that captures the heart of a contemplative. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; (Psalm 42:1, 2a and 7a NASB) Psalm 46:10a, by the sons of Korah, in the KJV reads, Be still and know that I am God. In the NASB it reads, Cease striving and know that I am God. The word striving is in italics because it was added in the NASB to, in the translators minds, make sense of the verse. Either rendering of this verse shows that silence and rest are appropriate in the presence of the Lord. And both silence and rest are an integral part Copyright July 2013 by Joy Paulson. Published by Gospel Tramway. Page 3

4 of contemplation. Psalm 119 is a masterpiece. It was painstakingly and beautifully composed to celebrate the Laws of God and tell of their importance in life. This Psalm brings to mind David s longing to dwell in the house of the Lord forever and behold His beauty. The author of Psalm 119 understands that to genuinely know the Lord and His goodness, one must know His laws and come into the understanding that they were given that we might live life to its fullest (see the first eleven chapters of Deuteronomy). To that end he celebrates and extols the Law in dozens of ways, in this the longest chapter in the Bible. The words meditate, meditates and meditation occur a combined total of seven times in this Psalm alone. These words are used in parallel with the words consider, muse and other synonyms of meditate and meditation. New Testament - Meditation and Contemplation The words meditation and contemplation do not occur in the New Testament, but the practices of meditation and contemplation are clearly seen, implied or advocated. Jesus Did Jesus engage in meditation and contemplation? We believe that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. How did He communicate with the Father, before His public ministry and during it? What did He do in those hours and nights He spent alone with the Father? He certainly did not talk the entire time. Did He reflect on His mission and how He would complete the work He came to do? Did He just enjoy times of fellowship with His Father? These are almost rhetorical questions. We know He communicated with the Father by prayer, and it is certain that He did meditate on, and agonize, about what lay before Him. We know he enjoyed being with the Father. Yes, Jesus practiced meditation and contemplation. Jesus answered those who were persecuting Him because He healed on the Sabbath, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; (John 5:19-20a NASB). Again Jesus - answering His detractors - said, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that Copyright July 2013 by Joy Paulson. Published by Gospel Tramway. Page 4

5 I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me (John 8:28 NASB). As an aside note He is in italics. What Jesus actually said was I AM (that is I am God, a reference to God s revelation of Himself as I AM to Moses see Ex. 3:14). To the same people Jesus said, I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; (John 8:38a NASB). Is Jesus God? Yes. When on this earth, did He have some special pipeline to the Father by which the Father could communicate with Him? I think not. I believe that Jesus, although He was God, came in the form of a man, and communicated with the Father as a man. Was it through much listening (contemplation) and reflection (meditation) that Jesus communicated with the Father? Unless we believe that Jesus was not fully human on this earth (and that would be heresy), I believe the answer is yes. The Apostle Paul In his letter to the Philippian church, the apostle Paul wrote,... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise let your mind dwell on these things (Phil. 4: 8 NASB). The mind that dwells on something reflects on it, i.e. meditates on it. Paul, to the church at Colossae writes, Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth (Col. 3:1-2 NASB). Paul urged Timothy, his son in the faith, to consider (some versions say reflect) on the things Timothy heard from Paul things about the Christian faith and faithful living and service to the church at Ephesus (see 2 Timothy 2). There are many passages in the New Testament, particularly in the letters of Paul, that seem, to this writer, to have their origins in the intimate fellowship and longings Paul had with the Lord. During his many years before his active ministry, during his ministry and during his many years in prison, Paul most certainly engaged in meditation and contemplation. Copyright July 2013 by Joy Paulson. Published by Gospel Tramway. Page 5

6 Meditation, Contemplation and the Christian Life Meditation and contemplation as defined in this article, are biblical ways or spiritual disciplines by which the people of God who hunger and thirst after Him and desire intimate fellowship with Him, learn of Him and draw close to Him. If the focus of our meditation is the Bible and the Lord Himself, there is nothing to fear and everything to gain. The terms, meditation and contemplation are neutral. They are not associated with any particular religion or practice. Yes, they are used in Eastern religions and in the New Age movement. But to fear meditation and contemplation because they are used by non-christians is to rob ourselves of the very practices by which we draw close to the Lord and by which we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (see Romans 12:1-2). Call the activities described by the terms meditation and contemplation by another name if necessary, but meditate, reflect, ponder, and contemplate on the Lord and His ways. Earlier in this article I defined orthodox and the Trinity. If the subject of meditation and contemplation is on what is orthodox (conforming to the faith of the early Church), then we will draw close to the Lord and learn of His ways. Consider a verse in another Psalm of David: Psalm 103:7 (NASB) says of the LORD, He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. And we know that Moses spent days in the presence of the Lord and, as a result, he knew the Lord in a way that only comes by spending time, a lot of time, with the Lord. Someone might be concerned that the word contemplation is not in the Bible, but neither is the word Trinity. And the knowledge of Trinity is central in our understanding of who God is. We often say Trinity when we speak of God, understanding that we are speaking of God the Father and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three persons, yet one God. Some weeks ago as I was thinking about the reaction of some Christians and Christian leaders to meditation and contemplation the words King David was a contemplative popped into my mind hence the title for this article. Christians everywhere who draw close to God engage in meditation and contemplation. See the breathtaking prayer and benediction of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3: It is clearly the product of Copyright July 2013 by Joy Paulson. Published by Gospel Tramway. Page 6

7 years of meditation and contemplation. Meditate on it. Contemplate the wonder of Christ about whom these words are written. The words of an old hymn come to mind as I write, softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me. 6 Jesus is calling and He is waiting for you and for me. - Joy Paulson Joy Paulson started her professional career as a scientist, but after coming into an intimate relationship with the Lord, went into seminary where she earned a Masters in Divinity. She is director of the Georgetown Healing Rooms at River of Life Church in Georgetown, TX. She also ministers to women in prison. NOTES 1-5 Collin English Dictionary Complete and Unabridged, HarperCollins Publishers, Copyright 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, Word and music by Will L. Thompson ( ) Copyright July 2013 by Joy Paulson. Published by Gospel Tramway. Page 7