. The Art of Meditation, George
Milne, Lessons for the Christian's Daily Walk, 1859. So I applied my mind to understand,
to investigate, and to search out wisdom and the scheme of
things, Ecclesiastes 7.25. We live in stirring days, when
deeds are everything, when closet work is often neglected for active
business, and little time is given to meditation. Yet, with
more thought and prayer, wholesome activity would be greater in
the end, and all our actions more successful. Time is not
lost which is spent in meditation, in searching wisdom's ways, and
seeking out profound realities. There is one who often meditates,
and yet accomplishes much. There is another who hastens,
and yet does little, none works so heartily, nor reaps so fully,
as he whose wits are sharpened by prayer and meditation. Reading either Scripture or Christian
books apart from meditation does little good. It is much the same
as not digesting what you eat. This only starves the soul. How
many read the Bible thus? The art of meditation may be
learned by dint of effort. You say, I am quite unused to
meditate. How shall I begin? Deal gently
with yourself at first. Select your subject, some passage
from the word, then fix the time you choose to give, say five
minutes at a time. Begin and think aloud. This makes
it easier and saves the mind from distracted thoughts. The
hardest task of all, the sound even of your own voice will help
you. It is like speaking to a friend,
and what is meditation but communing with self, that self may be a
constant hearer. But, more than all, make it a
time of prayer, of communing with God. This helps the matter
greatly. Take the words of Scripture and
ask Jesus what they mean. In doing this, the mind is exercised. A glow of thought attends the
effort. You honor Jesus, and He will
honor you by pouring out a largeness of capacity, a quicker mind. The interchange of thought between
you and Jesus goes on apace, and you are surprised to find
how long the exercise has lasted. Thus, meditation grows the more
it is exercised. It feeds the soul, expands the
mind, increases thought. And best of all, it brings you
into fellowship with Jesus. This is the very life and soul
of meditation. Do not let this book of the law
depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1.8. But his
delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates
day and night. Psalm 1 2 I will meditate on
all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Psalm 77 12
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. Psalm 119.15
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Psalm 119.97 I meditate on all your works,
and consider what your hands have done. Psalm 143, 5 My eyes
stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate
on your promises. Psalm 119, 148