Monday, June 16, 2014

Add Scripture Meditation to Praying (Prayer Summer 2014)

Butterfly in Yellow Springs, Ohio
(For those in Prayer Summer 2014)

I add meditation on Scripture during my prayer times. To meditate, biblically, is to ponder. Biblical meditation is like a cow chewing its cud, over and over and over again.

Currently I am reading through the Bible, slowly. I'm not trying to read the Bible in a year. This has always been too fast for me. I'm reading through the Bible in many years, meditatively. 

To meditate on Scripture is to slow cook and simmer in its juices. This kind of Scripture saturation almost always causes me to converse with God, which means: at that point I am praying.

God will show you what Scriptures to meditate on this summer. If you're not sure here are some proven winners for me.


  • Read through the 4 Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Don't worry about finishing them this summer; read slowly, with listening ears and an open heart.)
  • Slow cook in Matthew chapters 5-6-7 - Jesus' incredible Sermon On the Mount
  • Marinate in John chapters 14-15-16 - Jesus' final words to his disciples
  • Add some Proverbs to the mix
  • Try a Psalm a day