Prayer, and Meditation.

Some weeks ago, in my French language blog, I published a post entitled "Pray without ceasing" (in French, of course!). In it, I mentioned that one of my own problems with an extended period of prayer is that my mind tends to wander! A new friend, who receives that post link, contacted me and wrote (also in French!): "My mind also wanders when I try to meditate, apparently very normal." I did point out to my friend that, in fact, "prayer" and "meditation" are not synonymous words!

I had already prepared the post for this week but, yesterday, I received a regular e-mail that deals with the very topic of meditation. It is so good, that I am copying it, completely - with only a few changes: mostly the Scripture quotations that I am providing in the RSV translation (my personal favourite since away back in my Bible College days!), instead of the AV that the author (HMM) uses.

« “Make me understand the way of Thy precepts,and I will meditate on Thy wondrous works.” (Psalm 119:27)

The remarkable 119th Psalm, with its 22 eight-verse stanzas, is the unique “song of the word,” containing 176 testimonies or prayers concerning God’s Word—one for each verse. Eight times the word “meditate” or “meditation” is used, indicating the importance of this practice in relation to the Scriptures. In our text, its basic thrust is to exhort us to meditate on the wonderful works of God once we understand the way of His precepts.

The other seven references to meditation in this psalm are as follows: “I will meditate on Thy precepts,and fix my eyes on Thy ways.” (v. 15); “Even though princes sit plotting against me, Thy servant will meditate on Thy statutes.” (v. 23); “I revere Thy commandments, which I love,and I will meditate on Thy statutes.” (v. 48); “Let the godless be put to shame, because they have subverted me with guile; as for me, I will meditate on Thy precepts.” (v. 78); “O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” (v. 97); “Oh, how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day.” (v. 99); “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate upon Thy promise.” (v. 148).

There is, of course, a counterfeit form of meditation (e.g., so-called transcendental meditation and other forms of mysticism), not to mention useless daydreaming. These forms of meditation involve clearing one’s mind of all subjects and allowing the mind to wander. In contrast, true, Biblical meditation involves pondering with awe and thankfulness God’s wonderful Word, His ways, and His works in connection with prayer and the study of the Holy Scriptures. As an exercise of the mind as well as of the spirit, it is a great blessing and most pleasing to God." »

In other words, what is often meant by "meditation" is emptying one's mind, or is maybe what I recall being introduced to almost 60 years ago - "guided thinking" (or something like that!). But "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of YHWH, and on His law he meditates day and night." (Ps.1:1-2).

Biblical meditation is actively focusing one's mind on Almighty God. There really is a big difference! It's also how we pray!

Foundations

As this is the fifth Sunday in the month, I wish to share with you about one of my own books. This time, I want to tell you a little about "Foundations of the Faith" - the second volume in the "Faith" series.

                                              

It is a simple fact of life that foundations are of prime importance. Whatever we seek to build, if the foundation is of inferior quality, then what is built upon it will not be strong and sturdy. The Lord Jesus, Himself, made this point in the parable of the two builders (Matthew 7: 24-27).

Having emphasised the importance of doctrine, the book takes the reader through the Apostles' Creed, and does so in language that does not require a prior advanced degree in Theology to be understood! 

One of those who endorsed the book, writes: 

"On reading this book I knew I was in the company of a gifted fellow-pilgrim seeking a deeper understanding of the Apostles’ Creed.  My mind was well-fed by this significant study, and by such thought-provoking sentences as “It requires a great deal of faith to be an atheistic evolutionist.” Brian articulates what he believes with freshness and clarity. It is clear that for him as for Berdyaev, the distinguished Russian thinker, Jesus is the starting point for learning Who God is, who we are, and what life is all about."

Very Rev. Dr. James A. Simpson

Former minister of Dornoch Cathedral

  Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland: 1994-5  

As with all of my books and, indeed, both of my blogs, I receive no financial benefit from sales (or 'clicks'). Indeed, I don't even see the royalties from book sales, as they are sent, directly, to Release International, in support of the persecuted church. So, purchasing one, or more, of my books is not only helpful to your understanding of the Christian Faith, but it is helping those who suffer - many in ways that are beyond the comprehension of those of us who live in the still relative safety of "the west" - for that same faith.

Please also remember that in March, 2023, I was interviewed for an online summit on the topic of “Death”.  I was able to provide a Christian perspective, and the interview may be watched here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPEfzYiPfcI&t=1s

It would be most helpful if you would watch, and leave a "Like"! As others point out, it costs nothing, but the algorithm places the clip at a "higher" level (or something like that! I am no computer expert!).

The Necessary Light.

Do you, like me, enjoy the lighter evenings? As I type it is almost 2200 hours, yet it is still not dark outside! Indeed, if I didn't have so much to do inside, I could still be working outside! 

All human experience understands the relationship between darkness and light. Speaking to the Pharisee, Nicodemus, the Lord Jesus said: "... this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19).  Those who love wickedness crave the darkness to hide their deeds.

That same Jesus insisted that He is "the Light of the world" (John 8:12). Writing to the young Timothy. Paul describes Almighty God as the One   "... Who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no man has ever seen or can see. " (I Timothy 6:16). This is not a mere metaphor. John, also, reminds us that "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (I John 1:5).

 

It is certainly clear in God's written Word, that those who have not yet been twice born must come "to the light" before they can ever receive the gift of eternal light (John 3:21). Indeed, the very process of "coming" is empowered by the drawing power of the Father Himself. Jesus said that: "No one can come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me draws him;"  (John 6:44). No one who is "dead through the trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1) is able to come out of darkness on their own into the light, without the supernatural power of the "Light" Himself.

 

Once we are rescued from the darkness by the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and "birthed" from above by the power demonstrated in the resurrection of our Lord, we who are so redeemed become "sons of light and sons of the day;" (I Thessalonians 5:5). Thus empowered, we are to "walk in the light" (1 John 1:7) and have no "fellowship . . . with darkness" (II Corinthians 6:14). With the "armour of light" complete (Romans 13:12), we can openly let our "light so shine" that we become a "light of the world" (Matthew 5:16, 14). 

It was Paul's testimony that he had been sent, by Father God, to the Gentiles: "to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’" (Acts 26:18). May we be found doing likewise!

Spirit, Soul, Body

In the previous post, we looked, briefly, at the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - one God. In this post, I want to point out the trinitarian nature of humanity. 

This threefold nature of mankind reflects, to a degree, the triune nature of the Godhead. Just as each member of the triune God is complete and wholly God, yet distinct, so each aspect of mankind is also the whole, yet distinct. The body of man comprises the entire man, yet he also possesses certain soulish emotions, desires, and propensities; and finally, the total man is endowed with a spiritual, eternal nature, somehow reflecting the image of God.

 

These three reflect the three great creative acts of God during creation week, identified by the three usages of the Hebrew word bara, or create. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1); i.e., physical material. Later, certain of this physical material was granted consciousness (1:21), which man shares with animals. On the sixth day, man was created as a spiritual being "in the image of God" (1:27), setting him qualitatively distinct from the animals, though he shares body and consciousness with the animals.

 

Writing his first letter to the believers in Thessalonica, Paul expresses this wish: "May the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thess.5:23), when the "God of peace" sets about the task of sanctifying representatives of sinful, fallen mankind, restoring such ones to a measure of Christ-likeness, He does so in the order mentioned, beginning with a spiritual awakening. Then, through the transformed spirit, the soul is reached, and finally the body, with its appetites and lusts.

 

The wisdom of man says just the opposite, claiming the inner man can be improved by changing outside influences, a mentality all too often reflected even in evangelistic efforts. God's way is to start with the inner man - the root of the problem - and then affect the outer man. 

The Trinity in Salvation

In my first book, "Great Words of the Faith", and in the chapter on "The Trinity", I quote from Augustine, the 4^th century theologian: "If you deny the Trinity, you lose your soul; if you try to explain the Trinity, you shall lose your mind." 

If you have difficulties with this fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith, you may find that chapter to be useful, and even enlightening. Remember that all royalties from all of my books are sent directly to Release International, in support of the persecuted church.

However, although that chapter is quite comprehensive, it is not definitive. So, here is some more on the Trinity!

The anonymous writer (my personal opinion is that it was Barnabas!) of the great Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus, having written of the animal sacrifices of Judaism, continues: "... how much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God."(9:14).

Note the implicit reference to the Trinity in those words: "The blood of Christ . . . through the eternal Spirit offered . . . to God." There is also a beautiful Trinitarian implication in Ephesians 2: 17-18: "And He [the Lord Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."

The promise of Christ to send the Holy Spirit is a high point of the Gospel of John. "... I will pray the Father," said the Lord Jesus, "and He will give you another Counselor," (Greek parakletos, meaning "one called alongside"), "to be with you for ever," (John 14:16). "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (John 14:26). "But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, Who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness to Me;" (John 15:26).

 

It seems very clear from such Scriptures as these, that each of the three - Father, Son, Holy Spirit - is a distinct Persona. Yet that the three together are one God is also clear from the fact that they are identified, by Name, as One. Converts are to be baptised "... in the Name (note the singular: 'onoma' - one Name) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19). Note also the benediction formula. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (which is all-sufficient), and the love of God (that never fails), and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (Who never forsakes), be with you all. Amen" (2 Corinthians 13:14). What we cannot fully understand in our minds of this wonderful triune Godhead, we can understand and believe with our hearts.