The Spiritual Discipline of Meditation

In our Western culture, we place great value on the ability to talk. We reward individuals who are articulate, quick on their feet, and can express themselves verbally. In fact, some of those who are most rewarded are those who can talk for long periods of time and say nothing. If you don’t believe this is true, turn on Monday Night Football and cover up the screen of the TV. Just listen to the audio! For that matter, you can learn the same thing just by leaving the TV on all day.

In fact, talking is so valued that we have entire radio networks devoted to just talk! And there is never a shortage of talkers. What is missing from our culture is the ability to listen. In fact, so rare is this skill that we pay professional listeners, psychologists and psychiatrists, to listen to us!

So what does all of this have to do with meditation? First off , the goal of meditation is to slow down the talking that goes on constantly in our brain. We chatter to ourselves incessantly. And for the most part, we are completely unconscious of this chatter. The process of meditation is designed to make us aware of this chatter and help us slowdown so God can get a word in edgewise.

How does this work? Begin by finding a place where you can sit quietly, where you will have no interruptions. Try it here, today. Invite someone to read Colossians 3:2-3 and then quietly focus on the passage. Can you feel your mind being tugged at from many directions? Reread the passage. Then quietly reflect. Do this as a group for five minutes.

What was it like? Were you surprised at all the thoughts you had? Were you surprised at the kinds of thoughts you had? How did you feel?

One of the easiest ways to practice this “stillness” is to pay attention to your breathing. Don’t make any e! ort to change how you breathe. Just notice when you are breathing in and when you are breathing out. At first, you will find yourself distracted from your breath by your thoughts. When you realize that you are not paying attention to your breath, just notice this and go back to focusing on your breathing.

This exercise is one way of preparing to listen, really listen for God. As in our human relationships, most of us spend most of our communication with God talking. And, interestingly enough, this constant talking gets in the way of our connection with God, just like it gets in the

way with our connection with other people. Few of us really listen, because we are constantly distracted by the chatter in our heads.

This skill of sitting quietly takes time to learn and develop. Be very gentle on yourself as you begin to practice. As you sit quietly, strong feelings may come up. You may feel things that don’t make sense to you. Don’t be overly anxious. As with the thoughts you think during this process, just acknowledge the feelings, feel them and let them go.

Sitting quietly in meditation helps us learn to really listen. We may not hear a voice when God speaks to us, but quieting the chatter will let us hear God.

Bible Study Part Two: Interpretation

This session will introduce us to the second skill of inductive Bible study: Interpretation.

Purpose of Interpretation

To interpret means to explain or tell the meaning of something. When interpreting a Scripture passage, aim to determine what the author meant by the words used, keeping in mind the original audience. Try to put yourself in the writer’s place and recapture the thoughts, attitudes, and emotions.

The primary purpose of interpretation is to discover what the author meant, to discover the purpose and the message. This is not easy, because the writer is not around anymore. But try to be objective in your interpretations. Don’t think about what the passage means to you (this is application), but what it seemed to mean to the author. Even so, interpretations will vary a great deal. You can read a dozen commentaries on a biblical passage and have as many different explanations.

The Bridge Between Observation and Interpretation

The bridge between observation and interpretation is to ask yourself questions for understanding, questions concerning the meaning of words and statements. You probably use

this bridge more often than you realize. Usually when you read something, you may read the words in a passage, observe what the words say, and ask questions about words and statement you do not understand. In learning to become a Bible discoverer, you need to do these things deliberately. As you read a passage, always ask questions about meanings.

Why Ask Questions?

Some of the reasons for asking questions are: to stimulate thinking; to force yourself to think seriously about the meaning of words and statements; and to begin to identify those words, phrases, and statements that need interpretation. Asking yourself questions often will lead to more observations, prepare you for application and serve as the foundation for questions you might use in leading a discussion.

Learning to ask questions about meanings of words is a skill just like learning how to observe. Always remember that you are asking yourself the questions for your own understanding. That is why these are called questions for understanding, interpretive questions, or I wonder questions.

Bible Study Part 1

Bible study; what do these two words bring to mind? Do you relate them perhaps to a time when you were eager to learn as much as you could about God, or the Bible’s content? Perhaps, there is a sense of guilt that comes because you haven’t spent more time reading the Bible. Or, perhaps, there is recognition of how far you have come from your earliest reading of this Divine Record. Nonetheless, God’s Word is a continually accessible spiritual resource and still remains the primary means of learning about and experiencing God.

So how can we return to that eagerness? How can we study out of joy, not guilt? How can we allow God’s word to have a bigger impact on our lives? Perhaps the first place to start is to improve our study skills.

Malcolm Knowles, a renowned professor of adult education observed that adults learn 20% of what they hear, 40% of what they hear and see, and 80% of what they do or discover for themselves. They also learn best when new learning is related to their life experience and has some immediate usefulness to them. In this lesson I’m going to do less talking and you’re going to experience a little more.

A closer look at our current cultural context reveals that our present-day technological social environment, popular thought, practices, attitudes and views have influenced our approach to learning and how we implement newly discovered information.

Furthermore, in the spiritual realm and its link to lifestyle, the well noted research of George Barna points out that statistics tell us that in our information centered world there is no longer a marked difference between many believing church members and nonbelievers in, way of life practices, choices, habits, and attitudes.

How then do we study the Bible in a manner that will connect its study with our life experience? How can we meet our goals and outcomes for spiritual growth and Christian development?

A starting point is to note the contrasts between the informational and formational approaches to learning. Informational learning style approaches learning and reading in order to gather as much information as possible; moving quickly through the material in order to grasp it, master it and bring it under our control. This methodology makes our reading analytical, critical and judgmental. Unfortunately we use this same approach to Bible study and wonder why we are dissatisfied.

Contrary to the informational approach, the formational approach encourages us to study the Bible slowly enough to reach the deeper levels of meaning—giving enough room for meditation that actively helps us listen to God’s Word. The formational approach allows the Holy Spirit to speak into our soul and heart and allows the Word to master us. Therefore, our posture becomes one in where we become servants of the Word, rather than masters of the text.

The spiritual discipline and method of Inductive Bible Study is a formational process that incorporates a systematic method of Bible study, supplying skills that facilitate learning and experiencing the joy of discovering for oneself deeper insights into God’s truth. The inductive Bible study skills of observation, interpretation, personalization and application encourage and cultivate the posture of listening, reflection and response to God’s Word. Inductive Bible study creates an ideal greenhouse environment for learning, spiritual growth and development that is related to real life experience.

When we take on the skills that the inductive Bible study method furnishes, we are empowered with immediate usefulness for both personal and a teaching setting. As a result, inductive Bible study equips us with skills and tools for in depth Bible study resulting in life changing potential.

Prayer as Evangelism

Webster’s Dictionary defines evangelism “as the winning or revival of a personal commitment to Christ.” People sometimes think of large meetings. Actually, people often make commitments in less public settings. Prayer plays a big part in those commitments. As people find their needs met through prayer, they come into relationship with God. With relationship comes commitment. We will discuss several settings where people pray in ways that reach out to others. There are probably many more creative ways to pray as evangelism.

Healing Prayer: What better place to have a healing prayer service than at a Christian medical office or hospital? Including prayer in the treatment gives God the true credit for healing.

“If you are sick, ask the church leaders to come and pray for you. Ask them to put olive oil on you in the

name of the Lord. If you have faith when you pray for sick people, they will get well. The Lord will heal them, and if they have sinned, he will forgive them. If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot.” (James 5:14-15, CEV)

At Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute doctors offer to pray with patients before surgery. At Walla Walla

General Hospital patients can request staff to pray. Personnel announce “Code Love” over the intercom. All hospital workers who want to, pause briefly to offer a prayer for the person.

A story of healing prayer as evangelism comes from India.

“Doc, do you have a prayer meeting going on in this hospital? There are so many people coming here. What an opportunity it would be to start a healing prayer meeting every Saturday.”

Dr. Philip from Puna Adventist Hospital in India looked at this former gambler, alcoholic and smoker, still stunned by the story the man had told.

“Most people thought I was a loafer, but for 35 years I longed to be changed. Every time I tried, I failed. I was fed up. A few months ago at the Khadki bazaar, I saw a house full of praying people and quietly joined the group. It seemed like the bearded lay-preacher spoke only to me, reminding me of my past life.

“At the end of the meeting, he prayed. And I had an experience I will never forget. I just couldn’t control myself. I wept and wept for quite a long time. I felt a longing to follow this preacher wherever he went.

“So during the evenings when I was free, I joined him. Over a couple of months, I had not even realized I had given up smoking, gambling and alcohol. I felt peace in my heart, and Jesus became my friend. I could pray to Him, and He listened to me like a friend and father.

“I began to witness to my workers in Bajaj Auto. I no longer skipped duty. Friends began to wonder at my changed attitude. Over the past six months, I have led many of my colleagues to Jesus Christ.”

Dr. Philip had known this man for years. Formerly he had come for many excuses for missed work. Dr. Philip had given up on him. Now he marveled at the remarkable change.

Dr. Philip liked the idea of a healing prayer service. Jesus had healed many people on Sabbath. In his experience, he had felt a significant healing presence on Saturday.

His former patient suggested that his preacher could help set up a healing prayer service. The preacher came a long way for several months, paying his own way. He invited Dr. Philip to join him in all-day prayer sessions on mountain sides.

Since 2000, the Saturday afternoon healing prayer service at Puna Adventist Hospital has grown. Fifty to 100 attend. Meeting on the badminton court, they sing, share stories of God’s working in response to healing prayer and most of all they pray. (McGhee et al, pp. 92-94)

It has been said that certain famous evangelists wouldn’t come to a region to do evangelistic campaigns unless the church(es) would pray for a full year first. What would happen if all churches prayed this way during all years? What if the burden of their prayers all the time was more on people who need God than on Aunt Martha’s broken hip, much though Aunt Martha’s hip (and her heart) is a good reason to pray?

Prayer Walking: Have you ever walked through a neighborhood praying for the inhabitants of each house as you walked? This is prayer walking. Prayer walking opens the praying person’s mind to see the needs. Prayer walking can be done alone, in small groups, or larger groups. It is especially powerful if the prayer walkers are also watching for ways to put their hearts into real actions, whether official outreach events through the church as a whole, or just personal ways to meet the needs of those whose homes they are passing.

If walking with others, limit conversation to allow yourself to focus on prayer. If you meet someone greet them pleasantly and offer a silent prayer for that person. At times a person may feel impressed to meet the people in a particular house. One possible opening comment could be, “We are just walking through the neighborhood praying for people in each house. Is there something specific that you would like us to pray about today?” If a person answers, yes, and names a specific situation, then one could say, “Would you like me to pray with you now?”

However, suppose a person starts a prayer walk in a neighborhood without knowing anyone. No strong impressions come to initiate meeting any neighborhood residents. The big question comes, “What do I pray for?”

What are some things God promises to give us that everyone could use? Here are some possibilities: Love, Peace, Guidance, Protection, Healing, The Holy Spirit, Wisdom, Forgiveness.

And here are some verses that promise to fill these needs. There are others.

Love—1 John 4:16-19

Peace—Isaiah 26:3

Guidance—Proverbs 6:3

Protection—Psalm 9:9

Healing—James 5:13-15

The Holy Spirit—John 14:15-16

Wisdom—James 1:5

Forgiveness—1 John 1:9

As we pray, we can remember this verse. “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16, NASB) A righteous man? Who is that? “There is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalms 14:3, Romans 3:10, NASB) But we do not despair.

Remember, what I cannot do, Christ can do in me through His Holy Spirit that lives in me. As I hide myself in Christ, God sees me as innocent and righteous. God wants us to ask. Jesus told us to ask, over and over again.

As we claim Christ’s righteousness in us, we lose pride in our own righteousness. When a prayer is answered, we don’t know who among the group God was answering. Who hid themselves enough in Christ’s righteousness to claim the answer? We don’t know. It’s useless trying to answer. The focus shifts to God’s answer rather than who prayed the prayer. “The prayer of an innocent man [in Christ] is powerful and it can help a lot.” (James 5:16)

Through our prayers God will help other people. Then they will know God, and they will pray for others, and they will pray for still others, and soon the whole earth will be filled with His glory and He’ll come to take us home with Him, where once again, we will walk and talk face to face with God.

Public Prayer

What does “public prayer” bring to mind? Probably most people think of the long prayer during a church service. Certainly that is one kind of corporate prayer. We will be talking about other forms. People offer corporate prayers as part of a church service. The prayers generally cover community concerns, world concerns and a few individual requests, usually those already known by the whole church.

Corporate prayer often includes a general invitation for God to be present in the service. These public prayers are not the time to preach a sermon. We’ll talk about prayer as evangelism later. The best prayers are simple and to the point using language commonly understood by most people. Some people write out these prayers and memorize them make sure they include everything in a logical order. The point is that the person praying in front of a large group is to be understood as representing all present, and even some who are not present. That one is speaking the voice and will of all, praying for things for which the whole body shares a concern. Before, during, and after an outreach event, this prayer is crucially important, but if it isn’t really the will of all, if it’s just the head elder, or pastor, or whoever, then it really isn’t corporate prayer. “Corporate” means of or pertaining to the body, and in this case, it’s the Body of Christ, the church we’re talking about. If, when that person up front is praying, the whole body isn’t praying along with him or her, in their own seats, then it isn’t corporate prayer.

Methods of Prayer in a Small Group

“If you are having trouble, you should pray. And if you are feeling good, you should sing praises.” (James 5:13, CEV)

There are many ways to pray in a small group. Some choose to take turns, following in order around a circle. Some may designate a beginning person and an ending person with anyone else praying as they desire. Another method is called conversational prayer, and can include both talking and singing. One way to do this is to have the leader or facilitator or a scribe write down requests as people mention them. The leader designates someone to offer the final prayer signaling the end of the prayer time. As the group bows in prayer, the leader starts praying a short prayer for one of the requests mentioned. Others add short prayers for that particular request claiming promises and praying for any aspect that comes to mind. When it seems right another person starts a short prayer for another request. Anyone can introduce the

next topic as prayer for the first seems to wind down. People pray randomly as things come to mind. Some may pray several times; some not at all. Pray as the Holy Spirit brings things to mind. Feel free to sing songs during the prayer. Everyone will join the singing. Continue praying until all the items have been covered. The person designated to close will offer a short final prayer.

There are even materials available for small groups which explore different ways to pray, such as using art, writing poetry, or lighting candles to represent the brightness of God’s presence, or to represent that we are holding someone in God’s light.

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is a gift God gives us to give another. Sometimes we just don’t feel forgiving, but God can supply that feeling. The feeling is secondary, anyway. We don’t have to “feel like it” in order to obey any other commandment, why do we think we have to “feel” this one?

How did Corrie ten Boom come from hatred and bitterness to forgiveness? She tells of a time when she and her sister Betsie picked up pieces of wrecked airplanes and loaded them onto trucks. Because she was frail, Betsie picked up the smaller pieces. Suddenly one of the guards noticed. Betsie said kindly to the guard, “Please don’t give me more to do than I am trying to do

already, because I am not strong enough to lift these heavy parts.”

“You don’t decide what to do. I do,” the woman guard answered. With that she started beating Betsie. Other prisoners held Corrie back from grabbing the guard. Watching her sister get beaten was harder than getting a beating herself. Betsie urged her, “Don’t hate. Love and forgive.”

Corrie went off by herself. “I can’t forgive that brutal woman,” she prayed. The Lord reminded her of a text. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5, RSV)

Suddenly Corrie had an insight. What she could not do, the Lord, in her, was able to do. (ten Boom, pp. 36-38.)

Giving forgiveness doesn’t always take away the hurt, the loneliness or the pain. It doesn’t always fix one’s reputation or put the missing money in the bank. Forgiveness puts the responsibility for taking vengeance, if any, on God. Romans 12:19 says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (NASB) When God takes revenge, He gives people what they need. He knows what’s behind a problem or behavior and works to correct it, rather than merely punishing just to be punishing.

At its most mature, forgiveness enables us to see that sinning human being as one of God’s beloved, mistaken children, one for whom Jesus died. Finally, it becomes possible to want that person to live a sanctified, forgiven life, and to join with God in His perfect kingdom of heaven.

Forgiveness allows us to take the action that will do the least harm possible to another. Forgiveness frees us from carrying the emotionally and physically damaging burden of bitterness. Forgiveness allows us to move forward focusing on important things that will build the people around us and ultimately God’s kingdom.