Should Christian Meditate ?

As we all are Indians here, or at least that is what I believe.

So my question is ...

Do you meditate ?

And being a christian, is it allowed ??

All the opinions are welcome.

Thanks, May GOD bless all.

Isaac and David certainly meditated upon God's ways and Words,
as should we all...

GEN. 24:63.
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw,
and, behold, the camels were coming.

PSALM 119:15.
I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways.

I’m not from India, but you may find it useful to look up
the definition of meditating.

I once read somewhere that to meditate on God’s word is something
akin to a cow chewing the cud. Where it keeps on regurgitating the
grass and chewing it to get as much nourishment as possible from it.
We should study, meditate on God’s word, understand it. Keep looking at
it, compare it with other passages, compare it in context with what was
being said, ask ourselves how it applies to us, ask God for understanding etc.
It’s an active kind of meditation, to allow God’s word to sink in deep and
change us, give us better understanding etc.

Whereas a lot of other types of meditation in religious context, means
to let your mind go blank, or concentrate on oneself and wait for
enlightment.

Biblical meditation is different from how others perceive mediation.
So yes meditate but make sure it’s the right kind, not the self hypnotist
or the let your mind go blank kind. 🙂

Definitely meditate on God’s Word alone

If you're just trying to calm your mind by thinking of a peaceful, safe place, and concentrating on your breathing and relaxation, that is fine.

But if you are trying to connect with some mysterious invisible energy or chanting some mantra that has religious origins, that is new-age hocus pocus and could be spiritually dangerous.

No... not the way u usually do it by opening urself to spirits. No take time to rest in God

I'm not from India, not am i an Indian. But i am a Christian, and the tenants are the same all over the world. Yes we can and should meditate. Yes, meditate on GOD's word. But also meditate to keep a clear and healthy mind. We are tild in the old and New testament alike, that we are to have strong minds, bodies, and spirits. One way of emptying the useless garbage from your mind is to meditate. Prayer and meditation are two different things. Prayer is us having a conversation with our Lord and Saviour. Meditation is something we do to clear out minds to live a healthier life, physically and mentally. No, we are not to use meditation to "talk" with, or try to communicate with other beings, entities, realms, etc... It is to be used as a self cleansing program. I'm sure some people are going to disagree. But it's the way that i have always taken it in my studies and life.

Nice to see such a healthy discussion.
Thanks for all the advice from such senior members of this community.
I am really grateful to all of you.

Eastern meditation has the goal of emptying the self, whether through breath or a mantra. Christian meditation is to take a word, verse or passage from the Bible, and say it over, and fill yourself up with God.

So, night and day.
Eastern = empty
Western = filled with God

It is pretty obvious which one is the right route to take.

As I am a tech guy, I have a website on which I have listed some of the apps that could be used specifically for meditation purposes.
I have done research and found some specific apps that are christian apps and have all the information about the christian way of meditation. If you are looking for something similar you can visit this page.

These are free to use apps from the google and itunes store that can be used by all Christians. Hence if you are looking for technology solution to the meditation issues you can definitely try any of these apps.

Thanks

There are better apps if you really want to focus on God.

Like these and they are both free with no paid subscriptions at all or
trial periods.


Bible in one year.

It’s an audible commentary with a summary
But you can just listen to it or chose to read yourself.
It takes you through an old and new Testement each day plus a summary
It takes about 30 mins but you can split it up into two 15 min sessions.




A brilliant prayer app is prayer mate.
You can compile prayer lists ie friends, family, work etc and within each
category, you add individual thing, people or subjects with specific prayer
Points.
Then decide how frequently you want each category to pop up. Some you may
want to pray about every day, others weekly, or monthly etc,
There is also a category for prayers in the bible and bible verses which you
can add to.

Then it just does it’s job and every day up pops a mixture of prayer points,
bible verses, thoughts for the day etc of your own choice. It brilliant a great
way of praying, remembering bible verses and meditating on God’s word,

Thanks for your reply Miri.

I specifically quoted apps for meditation for Christians.

Your recommendations are also good.

The problem with questions like this is the wording. Some people hear meditation, they think 'meditate on gods word'. Others hear the word and they think of traditional meditation (Angela explained the differences well). So this question posted, as is, leaves the reader to interpret the word in their own way. Thus making a conclusive answer impossible.
Without knowing what the OP's intention is, when saying meditation, complicates things, because the intent of the question is not revealed.

I wish it were possible to find better wording, that made the differences more obvious. But, alas, it seems Christians revel in their ambiguous phase rather than seeking clearer communication.

Definitely meditate on God’s Word. Bible

Psalm 1:1,2"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinner, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

I first empty myself of me and then start meditating on God's infinite power and on His word.

Psalms 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

Christianity can be very contemplative. Being still and just sitting, connecting with God, making place for His peaceful presence in our minds, is perfectly fine. The Scriptures does not state that we have to always run thoughts, or analyze the Scriptures.
There is some fear prevalent when it comes to anything that is contemplative in Christianity, but it's completely legit.
Emptying your mind is not a bad thing at all.
First of all, when you try to just be still, you will notice all kinds of mental debris and secret thoughts popping, it gives you a lot of insight about what is your mind and inner man really filled with. It is a great opportunity to let go of these thoughts and replace them with God's peace.

1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

You need to still your own thoughts to hear this voice...
Just like Jesus stilled the raging sea. "Peace, be still".
Contemplating peace and presence of God without active thoughts involved is not against the Scriptures.

Psalms 4:4 Stand in awe, --------------------------------> awareness of God's presence
and sin not: -----------------------------------------------> awareness of God's law
commune with your own heart upon your bed, ---------> quiet contemplation... this is NOT running the Scriptures, or reading them.
and be still.-------------------------------------------------> quiet your own thoughts, make place for God
Selah. -------------------------------------------------------> silent rest. (Selah literally meant silence or pause in psalms, so it's a call for your silence, although it has been said by some that it also may mean "forever" or even possibly "let there be".)
Or:

Psalms 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God:"
That's the whole meditation.

good Posts, SoulWeaver,

there are so many words in the Hebrew for 'silence and rest' -
God calls Himself 'The God of Peace' -
Silence-Rest-Peace in our Lord is such a wonder, and many times
it helps us 'sweep' our minds of things that just don't belong there,
and it really does lead one into clearer introspection...

as it is written;
11CO. 13:5.
Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves.
Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates?

If you are suggesting that we should repeat a verse or passage from scripture repeatedly this falls into the category of contemplative prayer and should be scrutinized further as it bears striking similarities to eastern meditation/mantras.

If not meditating on a verse for me is parsing it, slowly digesting, and considering it in the generalized whole as well as specificity to individual situations.