No Speeding

Big Idea: Slowing down while reading a Bible verse gives time to meditate and hold on to a thought throughout the day.



Cause me to understand… Wait. Diane. Slow down. Think about that! The Psalmist is asking God to help him have understanding of the Bible. Wow. Good thought! I should hold on to that.

I had just started a book of devotions and that day’s reading featured Psalm 119:27-32.

I often speed through Bible passages

True confession. In my class preparations I read long passages in one sitting. Last year I did a read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year. I feel sometimes like I’m speeding through Bible passages at 80 miles per hour trying to get through it and get on with my day.

This year I want focus. I want less quantity and more reflection.

The whole of Psalm 119:27 reads, Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.

I paused firstly at Cause me to understand… but as I moved on to the way of your precepts I found myself pausing again. I see this phrase all the time in the Psalms. Have I ever stopped to think about it?

The way of your precepts. The way. It’s like a path or a road. It requires a journey, a way we ought to go. Hmmm. That is worth reflecting on.

Sit on it

I decided to sit with just these two thoughts. I’d reflect on more tomorrow.

I noticed the second part of the verse mentions meditate, which is what this is.

My January blog mentioned my meditation tiles. I like to take a verse like this and make a tile. On my phone, I pull it out when walking, in a grocery store line, or at an appointment waiting.

Ways to meditate on a verse

1. Read Purposefully. Slow down and read a sentence or phrase. Not every sentence in the Bible brings meditation thoughts, but the Psalms are full of them. The teachings of Jesus and Paul are too.

2. One word. Take one word for emphasis at a time.

THE way of your precepts. Yup, it is the singular best way.

The WAY of your precepts. The way, the path, the way the truth and the life, right?

The way of YOUR precepts. Who does it belong to? Who is “your”? Oh, God. Right. It’s all about Him.

The way of your PRECEPTS. Not to sound like a thesaurus but… Instructions. Guidebook. Manual for Life. Commandments. Oh, like the 10 commandments and so much more!

3, Visual reminder. You might put it on a sticky note. A meditation tile. In your planner for today.

4. Imagine. Visualize yourself with Jesus telling you. Or the Psalmist. Imagine asking if he’s made a song to this thought. Ask yourself, can I make up a song for myself? You’re not planning on getting a Dove award. It’s for you and the Lord.

5. Apply. Mull on it in your life situation. Why does it matter? How does it help?

6. Pray. Do you have a burning question about it? Pray for wisdom.

7. Other versions of the Bible. Consider reading it in a couple of versions for a fresh view. Maybe another version gives another facet to this diamond.

Slow down

Slow down. Keep it in your heart. Reflect. Remind. Rest.

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Reflect:


Take time to reflect on this yourself today. Or choose a different verse. Practice meditation on the Word of God.

Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. Psalm 119:2

 

My Meditation Tiles

Big Idea: Diane uses the YouVersion online Bible to make meditation tiles as a tool to reflect on the Scriptures.



I am a visual learner. I like having a poster, card or even a post-it note to remember a Biblical concept.

Learning to meditate is something our society does not seem to value. Or it may be tied up in relaxation techniques or New Age rituals.

The Bible mentions meditation quite a few times.

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. Joshua 1:8 NLT

Like a dog with a bone

I grew up with a family dog. When the Sunday roast had a juicy bone, that went to the dog.  We all knew better than to try to take it way from him. He’d spend hours licking and gnawing on it.

The word for “meditate” in Hebrew in the Old Testament is the word “Hagah.” The word is sometimes used in ancient Israel for the way a lion relishes and gnaws on a bone.

The idea transferred to meditation on God’s word is to gnaw on it and relish it. Go over and over it trying to get all you can from it. It is a process of appreciation.

 

I highly recommend a book by Eugene Peterson on the concept of devouring the Word of God and meditating on it.  It is called "Eat this book."  He explains in the first chapter of the book the concept of "Hagah."

How I made verses for meditation 

I discovered I could use the app associated with YouVersion of the Bible to create my own image to use for mediation.

1. Keep the background simple.

2. Don’t feel you need to copy the entire verse. Use a phrase or section that strikes you.

3. Use a version you really like. I use New Living Translation for my meditation time.

4. Make the font large and simple.

5. Have a good contrast between the background and letters. Either light with dark or dark with light.

6. Keep it with your phone photos. Pull it out when on a walk or stuck waiting somewhere like the doctor’s office.

Do it Yourself

Here is how you can make this yourself.

1. Go to YouVersion and click on the verse you want to make. It will have a dotted underline.

 

2. At the bottom of the page is a menu. Find “Image.”

 

3. It will offer you background images they already have. Choose something simple. Or you can use your own photo. Also, sometimes it is helpful to blur the background.

4. It will center it. You can take out part of the verse. You can also adjust size, borders, change font, etc.

5. I often take a screenshot of the finished tile, frame it and keep it with my photos.

 

6. Meditate on it as you go.

 

Here is an example of a bunch of tiles I made for our class when we studied Deuteronomy.

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Reflect:



Is there a topic you tend to obsess over? Is there a way to train yourself to meditate on the Bible instead? Make a tile and try it out today.