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Joshua 1:8

This book of the law

shall not depart from

your mouth, but you

shall meditate on it day

and night, so that you

may be careful to do

according to all that is

written in it; for then

you will make your way

prosperous, and thenyou will have success.

Wow! The summer is over and we are stepping into the beautiful fall season; the

season of harvest, as some people like to call it. In June, I wrote about cultivating

genuine intimacy with the Ho-

ly Spirit by putting aside quiet time for this spiritual

discipline. Have you tried it? Isnt it awesome? In

this newsletter, I would like to direct our attention to

another important spiritual disciplineSpiritual

Christian Meditation. Meditation should be an

important holy habit for Christs disciples. God told

Joshua that if he desires success he must meditateday and night on His precepts. Can we expect any-

thing different? I dont think so. Lets take a look at this discipline and set our minds

to start practicing it in our walk as disciples of Jesus.

(i) Christian (Biblical) Meditation:

One definition states that, Christian meditation is meditation in a Christian

context. I like Adele Ahlberg Calhouns definition, Meditation is a long, ardent

gaze at God, His work and His Word (Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, p.172).

We dont have the space here to go in depth about meditation. For those of you

who are interested in learning more about this discipline, please refer to Richard

Foster classic bookCelebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth,

and Spiritual Disciplines Handbook:Practices That TransformbyAdele Ahl-

berg Calhoun. In terms of definition, I would like to provide you with a simple one tomake sure that no one confuses Christian mediation with Transcendental Medita-

tion or other New Age practices.

We, as disciples of Christ, are familiar with reading and studying the Bible,

which are terrific spiritual disciplines. Bible reading is a matter of gleaning wisdom

from the Word of God, in contrast, Bible meditation opens up communication and

oneness between us and God. Through Christian meditation we are actively contem-

plating, examining and striving

to understand the concepts of

the Bible, and our minds are

being transformed by divine

understanding. Paul puts it this way:And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of

your mind, so that you may prove what

the will of God is, that which is good and

acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun nails it when she

wrote, Slowing down and giving ones

undivided attention to God lies at the

core of Christian meditation. If we de-

Psalm 4:4

Tremble, and do not

sin; Meditate in your

heart upon your bed,

and be still. Selah.

46993 Manhattan Cir., NOVI, MI 48374, USA, WWW.URFM.ORG, valy@urfm.org, (734) 972-5717

Volume 13, Episode IX September 2012

Lets PRAY:

For all the stu-

dents/disciples cur-

rently enrolled in

theADT offered by

URFM.

For the NEWseed of Spiritual

Formation to find

good soil and to

grow exponential-

ly.

For NEWprovi-

sions to continue

the Great Com-

mission God

called us to do. For the NEW

students ready to

enroll in ADT.Amen!

I will meditate on Your precepts And regard

Your ways Psalm 119:15

Meditation is a long, ardent ga

at God, His work and His Word.

- Adele Ahlberg Calho

Spiritual ChristianMeditation

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