What Is Biblical Meditation and How Do I Practice It? (John 6:1-15) | Daily Devotional & Bible Study

Today we close Bible Study 101 with a replay from my biblical meditation series. We look at the Hebrew word hagah, why time in God's Word teaches you to recognize His voice, and five simple tips to start. Then I guide you into John 6:1-15 as the boy who handed Jesus his lunch, so you can sit with Him and listen.

"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?" (John 6:9)

Questions this episode answers

What is biblical meditation?

Biblical meditation is filling your mind with God's Word on purpose and staying with it long enough to listen. The Hebrew word hagah carries the idea of pondering and turning something over, almost like a conversation with God. It is about focusing on Scripture, not emptying your mind.

Is Christian meditation the same as Eastern meditation?

No. Eastern practices usually aim to empty the mind, while biblical meditation fills it with a specific passage of Scripture. Imagining yourself inside a Gospel scene is an old Christian practice that helps the text come alive.

How can I learn to recognize God's voice?

The same way you learn anyone's voice, by spending time with Him. As you stay in His Word, you start to tell the difference between His voice and the voice of fear or insecurity. Pick a passage, a time, and a quiet place, and keep going even on the days it feels dry.

Timestamps

02:43 Hagah, the Hebrew word for meditation

03:42 How you come to recognize a voice

04:39 When the enemy sounds like God

09:05 Why we want someone else to talk to God for us

11:18 How do I know if I'm hearing from God?

11:44 Five practical tips begin

15:51 The guided meditation begins

21:04 Reading John 6:1-15

Links

Learning to be still and listen for God is what our contemplative Bible study retreat in Maui is built around, and I would love for you to join a small group of women there.

Bible Study Live is a small-group Bible study trip with Rachael Groll. Study Scripture where it happened in Rome, or slow down for a contemplative Bible study retreat in Maui. Dates and details at BibleStudyLive.org

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