I was recently asked, "Sarah, do you meditate?" It was an interesting question.

There is a lot of discussion about meditation today, especially within the health and wellness community. However, it is important to examine meditation from a Christian and biblical standpoint. Frequently, meditating is associated with new age or Eastern religions, as it encourages one to empty their minds or train them to focus and redirect thoughts, resulting in heightened awareness. However, what does the Bible say about meditating? Let's look at how the Word talks about meditation.

Throughout the Bible, Christians are called to spend time reading, studying, and being changed by the Scriptures. Christian meditation is very focused on the Word of God. In the Holman Bible Dictionary, meditation is defined as "the act of recalling some supposition, contemplating it, and relating it to one's own experience."

Prayer involves talking to God, whereas meditation consists of listening to God.

How about a closer examination of Jesus' prayer style? In Matthew 6:5, Jesus taught his disciples to "pray alone and use few words," which sounds a bit less like prayer and more like a basic meditation technique. It's safe to say that in addition to prayer and worship, Jesus indeed practiced meditation to some extent.

However, when we observe Jesus meditating, we see his focus entirely on God the Father. Instead of emptying his mind, he focused on connecting with his Father's mind. This is how Jesus teaches believers to meditate. The goal is to connect with God more intensely by thinking about him. Jesus' meditation was not an empty mental focus but a focused, intentional connection with his Father. He was focused on the divine mind rather than his own, allowing him to access spiritual power. Following Jesus' example, believers can learn to meditate meaningfully and biblically.

There is one clear answer to whether Christians should meditate. We should meditate on the Lord. Our instructions are not to focus on ourselves, not on mindfulness, not on transcending our minds - we must dwell on the Lord alone. Consider the Lord, think about His Word, be attentive to the things of Heaven, and never let His instructions slip out of your sight when you meditate. When this is your focus, you can never fail. And, when the Lord is at the center of our meditation, we can be assured of experiencing true peace and satisfaction.