How Can I Practice Christian Meditation?

Cultivating Biblical Godliness

by Joel R. Beeke

Spiritual growth is a necessary part of the Christian's life, but a failure to practice biblical meditation hinders such growth. Today, many believers misunderstand this core Christian discipline because they associate it with New Age spirituality and false religions. During the Puritan age, however, many ministers preached and wrote about meditation, and in this pamphlet, Joel R. Beeke guides us through their instruction on this subject. By God's grace, "perhaps we can recover the biblical practice of meditation for our time." The Definition, Nature, and Kinds of Meditation The Duty and Necessity of Meditation The Manner of Meditation The Subjects of Meditation The Benefits of Meditation The Obstacles to Meditation Self-Examination Joel R. Beeke (PhD, Westminster Seminary) is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary; a pastor of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan; editor of Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth; editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books; and a prolific author. “Joel Beeke has given us a wonderful gift to help us recover the lost art of Christian meditation. Unlike many practices of ‘meditation’ today that seek to empty the mind, Christian meditation calls us to fill our minds with the God-inspired, life-transforming, and mind-renewing Word of God. Take up and read, and then give a copy to your friends and family!” – Brian Cosby, senior minister of Wayside Presbyterian Church, Signal Mountain, Tennessee, and visiting professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, Atlanta

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Christian Living, Spirituality

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2017

About the author

Dr. Joel R. Beeke serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has been in the ministry since 1978 and has served as a pastor of his current church, Heritage Reformed Congregation, since 1986. He is also editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited fifty books and contributed over fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. (1988) from Westminster Theological Seminary is in Reformation and Post-Reformation Theology. He is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at conferences around the world. He and his wife, Mary, have three children: Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.

Reviews

[Abbie Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!! I think the title should be Why must I practice Christian Meditation? It is deeply important and so very misunderstood. Easy and quick read and an abundance of wonderful Puritan quotes.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really gave me a lot to consider.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really really good. Great points, and a super important tool that we as Christians have lost over the years. I will definitely be looking more into meditation and start doing it. Only critique I have about this booklette is that Joel spends way too much time talking about the Puritans and how they practiced meditation, and not nearly enough time talking about how godly men and women from the Bible practiced it. Very scriptural and solid all around, I really just wish he gave more and more in depth examples from the Bible, again, instead of from the Puritans.

Definitely worth the short read though!

Final score 9/10 (feeling generous today)

[Alice Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never thought so much convicting truth could come from such a little book! Every Christian should read, ponder, and apply these instructions, as this book's subject is one which I, and many others of our faith, have continuously neglected. Praise the Lord that this book made its way to my hands.

[Brandy Sexton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tiny booklet is a must read! I’m so encouraged to grow in my love for and practice of meditation on the things of the Lord. I especially want to get better about taking note during the sermon and meditating on them in the evening of the Lord’s Day. This is a wonderful resource and a quick read.

[Patience]

Worth reading! I shall revisit it!

[Wilson Porte Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As everything that Joel Beeke writes, this is an excellent book to all those who want to know more and practically what is the spiritual habit of meditation.

[Shannon Maddox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the audio version, which is not listed on Goodreads.

[Shaun M. Hewlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not as enjoyable as other books that I've read of late, but it was definitely a needed one.
I will start with the one negative I had. I was not very pleased with the way the argument of the book (to practice Christian meditation) was brought across. There were definitely a few moments that I felt I was condemned and not even saved because I had not been practicing this form of Christian meditation. In fact I didn't even know it existed until I picked up this booklet, I thought meditation was just memorizing Scripture and dwelling on it throughout the day, but Beeke argues that that is not the case. Either way, it was very heavy handed and left me a couple of times wondering if I was even a true believer, however at the end of the book he does speak to true believers and tells them how to start practicing this kind of meditation which would suggest that true believers don't engage in this often.

However after all that has been said, I am thoroughly glad that I read this book and that I had this "wake up call" as this is definitely a discipline I would love to put into practice. Beeke gives plenty of wonderful and encouraging ways in which a believer can be blessed and edified and most importantly give glory to the Lord through this practice. Definitely recommend reading this to any believer, but just guard your heart and remember we are not saved by meditation, we are saved by the Gospel.

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowww, what an amazing, helpful little book! Going in, I frankly hadn’t read or heard much on the topic of biblical meditation so I was intrigued to learn more about it. Having digested the booklet over a couple weeks, I feel highly compelled to begin adding biblical meditation into my daily routine. What a resource this book is for getting started and understanding the “why” behind adding this discipline to your life!

I feel like I now have a solid understanding of the importance of biblical meditation and most certainly will use this booklet as a guide and encouragement to have others join in the important practice. 5/5 stars!

[Ken Knecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Puritans are often looked to as examples of religious devotion. This book exams their published directions and applications of meditation. Starting with the distinction between occasional and deliberate, this book should challenge you to think how you interact with Scripture. Far too often contemporary advice is to have a favorite verse, seek biblical counselor or other well intentioned but secondary helps.
Read Scripture, think on it, bathe in it, focus your mind and emotions on it. This is the challenge brought in this book

[Rodney Tripp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on the historical details. And one thing you will have to do is dig into this 35 pager. The author can be a heavy hitter in his writing. You must read a good bit before you get to the how to. This is not bad and it will be a book on my re-read list. So my final thoughts...the book is a take your time book even for the fast reader; maybe an academic style of writing. This book took me about 3 days to finish... so glean well

[Sadie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short book and easy to get though. I was disappointed that the author glossed over the puritian's use of occasional meditation, and spent a large amount of time going into why Christian's should practice mediation. I was hoping that it would be more practical.

[Alexandre Amin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma boa e sucinta abordagem à meditação cristã, tal qual os puritanos praticavam.

[John Funnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful little read, comes with a challenge!

[Dan Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Small, but a good covering a big topic!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I listened to this on audiobook.)

[David Pendergrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mediation is the halfway house between Scripture and prayer.

This book definitely challenged me to reevaluate my mornings for God.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but necessary in this age

This was a fantastic little book that did a great job of explaining what the practices of Christian meditation is and how it’s done.

[Colt Melot · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent booklet about Christian meditation. Everything you need to know to start meditating today.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview on the Puritan's doctrine and practice of meditation on Scripture. This short booklet is both informative and practical.

[Brett Ownbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, short read on Christian meditation. Beeke describes meditation as, “The halfway house between Scripture reading and prayer.”

[Hum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't realize how prominent the teaching of Christian meditation has been in my upbringing

[Matthew Rawlings · Rating 4 out of 5]

$2 and read in one sitting--worth it.

[Josh Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. I will definitely reference it in the future, but now I need the big one!

[Shannon McGarvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great points to put Into practice.

[Joseph Abudar]

Meditation: an often neglected practice and misunderstood term in the life of the layperson in the body of Christ. With this short booklet Dr Beeke adequately brings to the fore the necessity and blessing of Biblical meditation with the Puritans as an exemplar. The one quote that has challenge me was this by Thomas Brooks - "It is not he that reads most, but he that meditates most, that will prove to be the choicest, sweetest, wisest and strongest Christian". Beeke gives the Need, Method, Benefits and Obstacles of meditation together with the frequent input of various Puritan writers such as Manton, Calamy, Baxter and so on. Overall this small tract should be read to increase the need of Godly meditation and delight in God's word.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, quick read that is overflowing with insight. I have spent time on a few works on this subject, but this is the most down to earth and practical one that I have had the pleasure to read. Beeke does an amazing job of presenting the Biblical truths and need for meditation in the life of a Christian. I will revisit this one and I recommend it for your studies.