I have been feeling rather restless, as one of my previous posts mentioned. My time has now become more occupied with long shifts at my summer job, homework requirements for my online classes, and social endeavors with whichever friends are still around. At breakfast with my mum the other morning she asked be how I was enjoying being home. The reality of my answer brought more emotions than I was ready for. Not only do I feel restless, but I have recognized how useless and lacking I am as a tool for God in this season. I am not touching lives, and I’m not even satisfied in my own walk. Mum asked me to read Richard J. Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline. She encouraged me that these short summer months are a great opportunity to exercise and equip myself in the spiritual disciplines. Foster explains in the first chapter of the book that his account of the disciplines is not a recipe for change. “We must always remember that the path does not produce the change; it only places us where the change can occur. This is the path of disciplined grace.” (Foster 1988) Practicing what I learn in this book will not make me a more spiritual person, but it will teach me ways in which I can better serve the Lord through acting in spiritual discipline and devotion. So this is what I plan to do. As my CIU professor of Philosophy, Dr. Gentry, has taught me, the best way to learn from what I am reading is to interact with that reading through writing. On this blog, I will relate what I’m learning and track my growth along with you as my audience. Today’s topic is one of the Inward Disciplines Part 1, Chapter 2, The Discipline of Meditation.
Some people hear the word meditation and they automatically think of some eastern religion sitting crossed legged and OHMMMing into irrelevance. This type of peace-worship is not the meditation that Foster speaks of in this chapter. “Christians meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God’s voice and obey his word.” (Foster 1988) He clearly lays out the difference that eastern meditation is an attempt to clear the mind while the spiritual discipline of Christian meditation is an opportunity fill the mind with one’s relationship in and with Christ. Fosters quotes that “these two concepts of meditation are complete opposites. The one confines us to a totally human experience; the other catapults us into a divine-human encounter. The one talks about the exploration of the subconscious; the other speaks of “resting in him whom we have found, who loves us, who is near to us, who comes to us to draw us to himself.” (Foster 1988) And so, as Thomas Merton wrote, meditation is not firmly rooted unless it is rooted in life.
These distinct definitions of meditation remind me of something I once read when studying art history. It emphasized the difference between paintings of Hindu Gods or the Buddha, in contrast to those paintings of Christian Martyrs and saints. All of the eastern paintings represented figures with closed eyes and peaceful dispositions satisfied with looking in themselves. Contrarily, many Christian paintings, such as the byzantine style, depict martyrs with wide open bulging eyes looking toward heaven with a healthy fear of God and a longing for communion with Him. When participating in meditation of the sort which Foster speaks, one must “create the emotional and spiritual space which allows Christ to contract an inner sanctuary in the heart.” (Foster 1988) They should seek to hear God and obey Him.
The chapter concludes in organizing the discipline of Meditation into four different methods;
Meditation on scripture
This process he explains is not to be exegetical or for teaching purposes but is merely for “ internalizing and personalizing the passage. The written Word becomes a living word addressed to you” if one can take the time and humility to sit, and explore just a short verse or passage, and digest the truth it reveals (Foster 1988). Foster discusses that meditating on any specific passage can take as long as the servant and the Master deem necessary, revelation and encouragement is the goal not memorization or quantity.
Recollection and silences
For meditation through recollection and silence, Foster examines the benefits of audibly releasing all of the fears, anxieties, burdens and sin that the day or the future week might hold. Clearing one’s mind from the fleshly rubble and accepting the invitation into God’s rest.
Meditation on creation
Richard Foster writes that having a place apart from distractions and business is important for all forms of Christian mediation but specifically that which focuses on God’s creation. He emphasizes finding a posture to pray in which one will not quickly tire, and placing oneself overlooking God’s vast nature. The point of this exercise is not to worship creation but rather to recognize the vastness and intricate nature of our Creator; to appreciate His beautiful orchestration of the world and everything there within.
Meditation on the events of our time and seek to perceive their significance
In this type of meditation, Foster encourages the Christian to pray with Scripture in one hand and a newspaper in the other. It is our duty as Christian neighbors and citizens to educate ourselves on current events so that we can pray for our nation, and its leadership. Also by praying over events of our time we are somewhat capable of tracking the progression of God’s work in the events of today.
Not each of these meditation exercises seem as though they would lead me into a deep time of worship with the Father, but I grasp that all people have unique spiritual pathways within which they commune with God.
John 5:19 quotes Jesus saying “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” We cannot begin to know what our Father is up to unless we are involved that business. We know that we are to be Christ-like, and we have examples of Jesus meditating in Scripture. More that once Christ is recorded to have separated himself to go and speak with his Father.
The buzzword that keeps man from the practice is most likely ‘meditation’ because our present culture’s definition is an immediate connotation to the worship of mystic religion. We need to change our minds and recognize that the universal definition of mediation is merely “a written or spoken discourse expressing considered thoughts on a subject.” With this in mind we might more easily be capable of recognizing that the exercises Foster writes on are excellent tools that build an environment in which one can desire to hear and commune with our welcoming present God. Albert the Great says, “The contemplation of the saints is fired by the love of the one contemplated: that is, God.” (Foster 1988)
I challenge you saints to ponder the advice given in this first chapter of Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline and perhaps adapt your devotional structure to include a new arena in which you may commune with our Father.
I pray you will be challenged.
-Lael Primrose