This is part 2 of a 5-part series. View the entire series here.
I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways. – Psalm 119:15 ESV
Another way to the Bible is the meditate method. In this context, to meditate simply means to think deeply and prayerfully about something. There are a few ways you can meditate on Scripture.
1. Select a short passage and read it multiple times.
This could be a short Psalm, a section from one of the Gospels, or any other short passage you feel led to meditate on. Start by reading through the whole thing very slowly. Don’t try to rush through it or attempt to understand it right away. Just let the words sink into your mind and heart.
On your second and third readings, ask the Lord what He wants you to learn—about Himself, about His people, or about yourself—through this passage. Think about how it might point to Jesus. If there’s a line in the passage that reminds you of another part of Scripture, write it down so you can remember to revisit it later.
2. Read until something catches your attention, then stop.
As you’re reading, if you come across a word, phrase, or idea that stands out to you, stop reading. Take a moment to bring it to the Lord. Ask Him why this particular part is catching your attention. Maybe it speaks to something specific you’re going through in your life. Maybe it’s revealing a characteristic of God that He wants to teach you.
Don’t feel obligated to keep reading further, even if you only get through a verse or two. It could be that one verse or phrase in particular is the only thing God wanted you to read today. Press into that, and continue to seek Him in prayer to bring more clarity.
3. Pick a topic or key word and read all the verses involving that word.
At the back of every Bible is a concordance, which is an alphabetical list of key words, including every occurrence of that word in the Bible and where it’s located.
Pick a topic like peace, wisdom, or strength. Find the word in the concordance, then read all the verses that contain that word. It’s also helpful to read a few of the surrounding verses so you can understand the full context.
You may be tempted to rush through your reading, but allow yourself the freedom to go slowly, even if that means you only get through a couple of verses. Reading the Bible is first and foremost about connecting with God and learning more about Him. Some days, you’ll be able to connect with Him more over one verse than you would if you rushed through several chapters.
