Meditation

To encourage God’s people, we present this issue of the Free Grace Broadcaster on Meditation. Meditation is essential for a healthy walk with Christ and growth in grace. Charles Spurgeon introduces this subject with a helpful overview of the importance, practice, and benefits of biblical meditation. Thomas Watson defines what it is. Thomas Manton is convinced meditation is a biblical duty, and he tells us why. What is the nature of meditation? Isaac Ambrose answers that and describes the time, place, and matter of that holy practice. William Bates beautifully instructs us in occasional meditation, focusing on God’s creation, and George Swinnock offers five descriptions of solemn and set meditation on sacred subjects. Are there real dangers in neglecting this holy act of deep thinking? Edmund Calamy lists twelve! And they are sobering. John Owen, a deeply spiritually-minded pastor and theologian, presents us with practical helps for meditating upon God, and then A. W. Pink meticulously shows us how to approach a biblical text so that we can chew the Bread of Life. Are you new to meditation and wonder what to meditate about? In a second article, Thomas Watson gives a beautiful panorama of biblical themes to fix our hearts on, starting with God in eternity, progressing to Christ in history, and extending to heaven and hell. Then, Jonathan Edwards urges us to show our love to Christ; he does so by giving us a wonderful description of His loveliness. Spurgeon, a great advocate and practitioner of meditation, closes this issue by instructing us with sweet meditations of Jesus Christ our Lord. And how precious they are! Be forewarned: meditation is hard in our too-busy, distracted world; but this FGB is a brief “how-to” that we pray will fan the flames of your heart to seek the glory of Christ in Scripture and to love Him as never before.