Meditating on Scripture

I appreciated the two posts that Mark Driscoll put up today on meditating on scripture (here and here). I have recently finished reading 2 Peter in my personal reading, and we are now going through 2 Peter at church, which is nice timing. Something I have been trying to do as a result is learn some of Chapter 1, particularly verses 3-11 - or even just verses 3 and 4! (I fell asleep trying to recite these two in my head last night.) They are so packed full of truly amazing things in every phrase. I have to keep stopping and starting and thinking and reading again:

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

The chapter then lists seven qualities we should strive to develop, in the light of the preceding verses, and then vs 9 hits us with the admonition that if we fail to demonstrate these qualities, we’ve just plain forgotten what we’ve been saved from.

I’ve been struggling with doubting that I had all things pertaining to life lately (and just plain forgetting about godliness in that area) and losing sight of the very great promises I do have. So, I am going to have another go at 2 Peter 1 and work and through Mark’s seven steps:

Practically, there are some steps that can be helpful for Christian meditation:

1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to teach you Scripture, convict you of sin, and give you a heart to lovingly obey Jesus.

2. Memorize a word, verse, phrase, chapter, or scene of Scripture that bites you.

3. Write it out in your own words, seeking to grasp the full meaning of what is said.

4. Ask yourself what is revealed about God.

5. Repent of any sin that the Holy Spirit convicts you of.

6. Pray for anyone or anything that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.

7. Determine what God would have you to do in obedience to His Word.