Meditation: Reflecting on God

Author: Dillon Thornton
March 06, 2026

Dillon Thornton preached this message at New Covenant Church on Sunday morning, March 1^st. It is reprinted with his permission.—Editor.

Introduction

A. Introduction to Spiritual Formation

I’ve been asked to deliver two messages or talks today. This morning, I want us to focus on spiritual formation, and this afternoon we’ll think about spiritual de-formation. More specifically, the de-formative effects of our devices. So, I do hope you’ll join us again this afternoon.

We begin with spiritual formation. The Christian life is a growing life. The Apostle Peter says that we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Paul says that we are to “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” The Christian life is a growing life. This process of growth sometimes is referred to as spiritual formation. On the one hand, I don’t like the term spiritual formation because there’s quite a range of material that circulates under this heading. If you peruse a book store or Google this term you’ll find a wide range of resources, some very helpful, some less helpful, others utter rubbish. I was listening to a podcast recently and the guest used a phrase that caught my attention; he referred to “his way of being a Christian.” Immediately, I thought, “How cute.” “Cute” like when a baby first starts trying to eat on his own and makes an enormous mess of things. How cute that this podcast interviewee thinks that there is such a thing as his way of being a Christian. As if he gets to define Christian living and Christian growth. You’ll encounter similar thinking in many of the contemporary resources on spiritual formation. So, I do urge caution.

But, on the other hand, there are good reasons to retain this expression. 1) The word “spiritual” takes us inward, to our deepest need. 2) And the word “formation” slows us down, reminding us that this will be a lifelong process. This is not spiritual production or spiritual manufacturing. It’s not like an assembly line building a car.¹ It’s much more like the slow, steady, organic growth of an oak tree.

The Christian life is a growing life. But how do we grow? By devoting ourselves to the divinely appointed spiritual disciplines. God uses these rhythms or repeated movements to form us spiritually; these movements move us toward godliness. There are many such disciplines, and for Reformation-minded Protestants the foundational three, sometimes called the contemplative disciplines, are 1) the reading of Scripture, 2) meditation, and 3) prayer. The contemplative disciplines are foundational because we are Word-centered. This distinguishes Reformation-minded Protestants from the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox traditions. I don’t say this to bash these other traditions, but to draw attention to a very real difference that exists between us. For us, a relentless return to Scripture is the basis of authentic spirituality.²

B. The Discipline of Meditation

In our time together this morning, I want us to focus on what I believe is the most neglected and often misunderstood discipline, meditation. We’re in the Psalms, which is the hymn book and prayer book of the Bible, though it’s noteworthy that the prayer book of the Bible doesn’t begin with prayer per se. We’re not yet ready to pray. We’re too wrapped up in ourselves, too caught up in the web of the world. We need a pre-prayer exercise; we need meditation.³ Let’s have a look at the first three verses of Psalm 1 and think more about this term:

• Meditation: What is it?
• Why do we need it?
• And finally, how do we practice it?

I. What Is It?

A. Concentration is Elimination

1 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;

Verse one poses a trilogy of ascending intensity. “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.” 1) In the Bible, the verb “to walk” often is an idiom for conducting oneself in a certain way. To walk in the counsel of the wicked is to move in the direction they are moving, welcoming their advice along the way. 2) To stand in the way of sinners indicates a halting to have a closer look at the lifestyle of the rebellious. 3) Finally, to sit in the seat of scoffers signifies joining the group, being identified with those who are not just indifferent to God but who are verbally vicious toward God: his Word, his ways, and his people. This great psalm on meditation begins with a warning about other influences, worldly influences. Verse two will call us to concentrate on God’s Word. Concentration is elimination. And the implication of v. 1 is to eliminate evil influences, to keep a watchful eye on those with whom you walk. Be warned, church: Assemble with the wicked, and wickedness will assemble in you.

B. What Meditation Isn’t

2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
   and on his law he meditates day and night.

Blessed is the one who … disregards the counsel of the wicked and instead delights in the law of the LORD, meditating on the law both day and night. In the cult classic, The Princess Bride, the leader of the kidnappers, Vizzini, continues to use the word “Inconceivable!” until finally the Spaniard, Inigo Montoya, says to him, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” I find myself wanting to use Inigo Montoya’s line nearly every time I hear someone talk about or read a popular-level piece on “meditation.” Google the term and you’ll find ten to twenty different types of meditation, some associated with a particular world religion, others with no clear religious link at all. Mindfulness meditation. Transcendental meditation. Many of the contemporary meditative techniques focus on connecting with your body and breath. Some use a repetitive sound or word to clear the mind. The goal is to induce a state of calmness, inner peace, better physical and psychological health.

The biblical practice of meditation is very different. We can summarize the difference like this: Many modern meditative techniques focus on the body and the mind, with an emphasis on clearing or emptying the mind. Biblical meditation focuses on the mind and the heart, with an emphasis on filling the mind and rekindling the heart.

C. What Meditation Is

Simply stated, biblical meditation is sustained reflection on a portion of God’s Word (mind) with the goal of stirring up God-honoring affections (heart). Meditation is different from and builds on the discipline of Scripture reading. We read with an eye toward gaining new knowledge, learning something that we didn’t know before. With meditation, we’re reflecting, thinking more deeply, about something we more or less already know.⁴ We’re mining the text for implications, pushing this wonderful truth into every corner of our lives. “So, what does it look like to affirm the sovereignty and providence of God in my business?” “What does it mean to honor my father and mother as they age?”

“At its core, meditation is about intentionally lingering over particular scriptural truths, promises, stories, and insights so that God’s word by his Spirit might work in us.”⁵ Think about the imagery of rekindling a fire. There is heat and life in those dimming embers, but they need to be stirred up. In the same way, there is heat and life in the believer’s heart, but drawn astray by the world, the flesh, and the devil, our hearts grow cold. We must continually stir up the embers, rekindling the fire.⁶ Meditation is the stirring. It’s not an exclusively cognitive exercise; rather, it has to do with both mind and heart, and the relationship between these two is a circular one. “Thinking feeds the fire, and the fire fuels more thinking and doing. I love God because I know him. And I want to know him more because I love him.”⁷

Having defined the discipline, second, let’s consider why we need it, or the blessings that accompany it.

II. Why Do We Need It?

3 He is like a tree
   planted by streams of water
   that yields its fruit in its season,
   and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

A. The Blessings or Benefits That Accompany Meditation

Verse 3 gives us a beautiful and memorable picture of the person who delights in God’s Word and devotes him or herself to the practice of meditation: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water …” Established deeply, firmly in the Word of God (“streams of water”), he remains stable in the storms of life, unwavering when wicked counsel says, “Come this way.” Additionally, he is like a tree that “yields its fruit in its season.” A tree that is alive and being watered will show proper growth. To the eye, it’s not constant growth. In fact, there will be times when the tree appears rather unexciting, unproductive (winter). But there will be proper growth, a slow and steady production of fruit in season. And there will be much fruit. This tree’s “leaf does not wither,” meaning that year after year it flourishes. At times it appears dead, but it’s merely dormant. The fruit will come again, because it remains planted by the water. Then comes the summary line: “In all that he does, he prospers.”

B. Applications

Why should we develop this discipline of meditation? Because with it comes stability, substance of character, and much spiritual fruit. Psalm 1 provides a persuasive retort to those in the big “C” Church who espouse an anti-intellectual approach to the Christian life. “We need less Creeds and more deeds,” they say. “Less thinking and more doing. Less study and more service. Less reflection and more mission.” Do we? That sounds very noble, but is it consistent with God’s Word? We should take every assertion to the Word of God. Only there, can it be rightly measured as true or false. In Psalm 1 there is an inseparable link between meditation and production, between thinking and doing, study and service, Word and witness. Look again at the text. Clearly, it is the tree planted by the water of God’s Word that produces and prospers. Take away the water, take away the serious study of and reflection on the truth, and you don’t end up with a more productive tree. Overzealousness can cause us to separate what God himself has joined together.

Over the years, the congregations I’ve served have been blessed to have many young men and women from within them who were called to vocational ministry. Called to pastor a local church or to serve on the foreign mission field. Some of these young men and women have come to me for advice, and almost invariably, my advice to them has been the same: “Slow down.” “Your excitement is evident. That’s good. Keep that. And to it, add depth. Yes, there are people in our city who need Jesus. Yes, there are people online and throughout the world who need Jesus. But there’s also the matter of your own heart. Your own spiritual formation. By all means, keep telling people about Jesus. And get in a weekly Bible study group with nothing fancy, nothing gimmicky; just Bibles open and real people who actually will hold you accountable. Dig deeper into the Scriptures, the exercise by which God will develop your convictions and your character.” If I could go back and say one thing to my 18-year-old self, newly called to ministry, zealous to change the whole world for God, probably it would be this: The tree with wide reach and shallow roots eventually will fall.

Whatever your calling might be—pastor or plumber, foreign missionary or homemaker—be a man or woman who meditates on God’s Word. Be planted by the streams of water. Only then will you bear much fruit.

We’ve defined biblical meditation. We’ve learned about its blessings or benefits. Third and finally, let’s talk about how to implement this spiritual discipline. Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of it.

III. How Do We Practice It?

A. The Five Practicalities of Scripture Reading

We must first devote ourselves to the reading of Scripture, because meditation builds on this discipline. To help you do so, let’s think about the practicalities of Scripture reading:

1. Time: We put on our calendars the things that matter to us. You drop your children off at school at a certain time. You head to the office at a certain time. Why not put on your calendar your daily engagement with the Word of God? Why not schedule it? The best way in my view to cultivate this daily habit, and the most frequent suggestion throughout church history, is to read your Bible in the morning. The God who spoke creation into existence should speak into this new day that awaits me. He should have the first word.
2. Place: A second practicality is the place of reading. The place matters more than you might think. If, for example, you do intend to read your Bible first thing in the morning, but naturally you’re not a morning person, then likely you’ll need to get out of bed and go to a different space in order to read actively. Make this more achievable for yourself by priming your environment: whatever you use for an alarm should be across the room so that you have to get up to turn it off; now that you’re up you might as well invest your morning hours well by spending them with God, but nearly as important as the indwelling Spirit is a robust cup of coffee, so you make your way to the kitchen, and there beside the coffee pot is your Bible; you then take Bible and coffee (coffee and Bible) to a quiet, well-lit space in the house. You’ve set yourself up to succeed by priming your environment.
3. Physical Bible (with Pen or Pencil in Hand): This brings me to the third practicality, the most controversial of the five, and yet I remain convinced of the power of the practice: use a physical Bible, with a pen or pencil in hand. I’m talking about the type of Bible for which pine trees had to die, whose paper now can enact the tree’s revenge by slicing your finger. If you can’t feel the texture of the paper, then it’s not the type of Bible reading I have in mind. In 2023, a fascinating book was published. The author’s name is John Dyer, and the title of the work is People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture. Here’s the fascinating part: Dyer’s research reveals that while reading on a screen has a positive effect on reading frequency, it has a negative effect on comprehension. Screen-based Bible students read more often and have better completion rates for reading plans, but they understand less. In other words, they’re “opening” their glowing Bibles more often, but walking away with less light.⁸ Try reading a physical Bible, with no device in sight. If nothing else, you won’t be as tempted to bounce over to the headlines, sports scores, or social media.
4. Reading Plan: A fourth practicality to consider is your reading plan, that is, which portion or portions of the Bible will you read each day? There are several excellent reading plans. If you don’t have one currently, I’m sure Pastor Chris would be delighted to help you find one.
5. Persistence: Lastly, in terms of the practicalities of Scripture reading, you need persistence, patience. Remember: This is not Spiritual Production or Spiritual Manufacturing. It’s not like an assembly line building a car. It’s much more like the slow, steady, organic growth of an oak tree. Growth, formation happens daily, not in a day.

B. The Four Steps of Meditation

To this, we are now ready to add the four steps of meditation:

1. Reflection: Having read a passage of Scripture, we linger over a particular part of it. Meditation is a sustained reflection, an intentional lingering, a purposeful pausing of other tasks. It requires us to slow down, to reject multitasking, and to concentrate on this portion of God’s Word. Look at the words that are used in this verse. Look at the context of these words, what the author says before and after. Look at related passages of Scripture that will help you better understand this one. Observe everything you can about this portion of Scripture, and with the help of the Holy Spirit within you seek to interpret it rightly.
2. Internalization/Memorization: Meditation is sustained reflection on a portion of God’s Word (mind) with the goal of stirring up God-honoring affections (heart). If God’s Word is to stir and warm our hearts, then we need it deep down in the heart; we need it with us wherever we go. The psalmist says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps 119:11). No matter how lazy our modern minds have gotten, still we are capable of basic memorization. The mind is a muscle, not a shoe box. It grows stronger with use; it doesn’t get full. Having observed and rightly interpreted a verse of Scripture that is particularly meaningful in your own life, commit that verse to memory. Write it out daily or weekly in a journal. Recite it aloud. Memorize and metabolize it. Recall it again and again and practice its teaching.
3. Communication with God: The third step is communication with God. Having reflected on the passage and as we continue to internalize it, we convert the text into a prayer. Here we’re following Martin Luther’s counsel in the letter he wrote to one of his best friends, his barber Peter Beskendorf. Master Peter once asked Luther for a simple way to pray, one that an ordinary man could use. Luther recommends “fashioning a garland of four strands.” Begin with the instruction of the biblical text, he says. Then turn that instruction into thanksgiving, confession, and a prayer for purposeful living. Is there something in this text for which I should give thanks to God? Is there something in this text which I should confess to God? See each passage of Scripture as “a school text, song book, penitential book, and prayer book,” Luther says.⁹ As we do so, our meditation on the Word of God will draw us into deeper fellowship with God himself.
4. Self-exhortation: The final step is self-exhortation. We talk to ourselves. We preach the passage to ourselves, periodically asking questions of personal application. “Am I behaving like I believe the teaching of this passage?”

In Closing

In closing, consider this question of personal application: To whom or to what do you give your sustained attention? “Our reality is shaped and who we are is revealed by what we give our sustained attention to.”¹⁰ Let it be the Word of God. Think greatly of God. Because, believer, God thinks greatly of you! Of course he does. He loves you enough to send his own Son as a sacrifice for your sins. He loves you enough to give you the gift of his Spirit, bringing new life here and now and eternal life in the world to come. Devote yourself to growing in love for this God who so loves you! Devote yourself to the spiritual discipline of meditation. Let’s pray.

*Dr. Thornton was the featured speaker March 1 at our afternoon forum on the topic “Seeing Everyone, Everywhere, All the Time: How Our Devices Incite Envy.” The link to the video is available upon request.

¹ Bingham, A Heart Aflame for God, 125, writes, “If reading the Bible is a real communion with the living God, then one should not expect the process to be straightforward, as though we were operating a piece of machinery.”

² With Bingham, A Heart Aflame for God, 72.

³ Keller, Prayer, 146, citing Peterson.

⁴ Bingham, A Heart Aflame for God, 142.

⁵ Bingham, A Heart Aflame for God, 153.

⁶ Bingham, A Heart Aflame for God, 138.

⁷ Piper, Think, 89.

⁸ See Dyer, People of the Screen, 160–180.

⁹ Luther, Devotional Writings II, 209.

¹⁰ Bingham, A Heart Aflame for God, 160.

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Dr. Dillon Thornton is Lead Pastor, Faith Community Church in Seminole, Florida, and author, Deathly (De)Vices: Our Ever-Present Portals to Seven Ancient Sins.
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