This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success (Joshua 1:8).

When you hear the word “meditation” what may come to mind is a swami or guru sitting cross-legged saying “ohmmm.” However, the goal and object of meditation is not some sort of “out of the body” or transcendental experience. Quite the contrary, biblical meditation involves three aspects:

• Focusing your thoughts on the truths of Scripture
• Prayerfully reflecting and pondering on their meaning and significance
• Applying such to your life

The goal and objective of biblical meditation is so that we might better know God. Knowing God involves a right relationship with him through a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (John 17:3). Remember that the essential aspects of knowing God in Jesus Christ are:

• Intellectually apprehending the character and attributes of God as he has revealed himself in Scripture
• Demonstrating a proper fear of God through reverential trust, exclusive worship, grateful thanksgiving, and moral likeness (loving what he loves, hating what he hates)
• Continually striving to glorify God by growing more in and like Jesus Christ

To know God and Jesus Christ is to understand, fear, and love who he is as he has revealed himself in the Bible. Such knowledge is personal and relational in nature, involving a total commitment of oneself to Jesus Christ. This knowledge and understanding also involves a growing likeness to and imitation of him in every aspect of life, loving what he loves and hating what he hates.

The only source that you have for knowing God in this way is the Bible, and in order for you to know God through the Bible you have to give yourself to the three aspects of “meditation.”