God’s Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation

By David W. Saxton

During the seventeenth century, English Puritan pastors often encouraged their congregations in the spiritual discipline of meditating on God and His Word. Today, however, much of evangelicalism is either ignorant of or turned off to the idea of meditation. In God’s Battle Plan for the Mind , pastor David Saxton seeks to convince God’s people of the absolute necessity for personal meditation and motivate them to begin this work themselves. But he has not done this alone. Rather, he has labored through numerous Puritan works in order to bring together the best of their insights on meditation. Standing on the shoulders of these giants, Saxton teaches us how to meditate on divine truth and gives valuable guidance about how to rightly pattern our thinking throughout the day. With the rich experiential theology of the Puritans, this book lays out a course for enjoying true meditation on God’s Word.

Table of Contents:
1. The Importance of Recovering the Joyful Habit of Biblical Meditation
2. Unbiblical Forms of Meditation
3. Defining Biblical Meditation
4. Occasional Meditation
5. Deliberate Meditation
6. The Practice of Meditation
7. Important Occasions for Meditation
8. Choosing Subjects for Meditation
9. The Reasons for Meditation
10. The Benefits of Meditation
11. The Enemies of Meditation
12. Getting Started: Beginning the Habit of Meditation
Conclusion: Thoughts on Meditation and Personal Godliness

• Language: English
• Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
• Release date: Jan 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781601783721

Book preview

GOD’S

BATTLE PLAN

FOR THE MIND

The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation

David W. Saxton

Reformation Heritage Books

Grand Rapids, Michigan

God’s Battle Plan for the Mind

© 2015 by David W. Saxton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Direct your requests to the publisher at the following address:

Reformation Heritage Books

2965 Leonard St. NE

Grand Rapids, MI 49525

616-977-0889 / Fax [phone]

[e-mail]

www.heritagebooks.org

Printed in the United States of America

15 16 17 18 19 20/10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 978-1-60178-372-1 (epub)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Saxton, David W.

God’s battle plan for the mind : the Puritan practice of biblical meditation / David W. Saxton.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-60178-371-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Meditation—Christianity. 2. Meditation—Puritans. 3. Meditation—Reformed Church. I. Title.

BV4813.S23 2015

248.3’4—dc23

2014046678

For additional Reformed literature, request a free book list from Reformation Heritage Books at the above regular or e-mail address.

Contents

Foreword

1. The Importance of Recovering the Joyful Habit of Biblical Meditation

2. Unbiblical Forms of Meditation

3. Defining Biblical Meditation

4. Occasional Meditation

5. Deliberate Meditation

6. The Practice of Meditation

7. Important Occasions for Meditation

8. Choosing Subjects for Meditation

9. The Reasons for Meditation

10. The Benefits of Meditation

11. The Enemies of Meditation

12. Getting Started: Beginning the Habit of Meditation

Conclusion: Thoughts on Meditation and Personal Godliness

Bibliography

Foreword

Imagine being invited to a private dinner hosted by a friend who works as a chef in a five-star restaurant. This person is renowned for cooking meals that are nutritious, healthy, delightful, and satisfying. You can hardly wait for the day to arrive. Finally it comes, and from the moment you step in the front door, you are embraced by tantalizing aromas. As the host seats you, the colors and arrangement of the food on various dishes are a feast for the eyes. Your friend has thoughtfully chosen your favorite foods.

However, just as you sink your fork into the first bite and raise it to your lips, your phone chirps like a cuckoo clock gone mad. The strident voice on the line is your boss’s, and before he finishes his first sentence you know that you will never eat the delicacies set before you. With a rumbling stomach and a tight smile, you make your excuses and head out the door. You saw the food and smelled it, but never chewed it, digested it, or benefited from it. That is the Christian life without meditation.

All over the world, people go to hear the preaching of the Word on the Lord’s Day. Those who are serious about spiritual growth spend time regularly reading the Bible. However, though they hear and read the Word, too often they do not chew or digest it. Before their time in the Word is done, the world is calling, and they rush off after the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. As a result, though they can perhaps say something about what the Word says, they have neither enjoyed the Word in the power of the Spirit nor incorporated it deeply into their lives. They have not meditated on the Scriptures.

On the other hand, there are Christians who bloom where they are planted. If life gives them lemons, they make lemonade. But they are not buoyed up by the power of positive thinking. Though tenderhearted and compassionate, they also have backbones of steel, and their courage is amazing when they must stand for their beliefs. What is their secret? They have learned to draw with joy from the wells of salvation. They live near to the streams of life, for their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law they meditate day and night.

What is meditation? Why is it crucial for spiritual growth? How do you do it? What are practical ways to get started if you have not done it before or if it has been a long time? To answer these questions, read this book.

David Saxton devoted himself to examine this neglected topic at my recommendation as part of his studies at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. It was a pleasure to oversee his work. When I studied this subject in 2002 for a conference address at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, I was amazed to discover that hardly anything had been written on what I called the Puritan art of meditation. By the time I finished my study, I had forty-one Puritan books on my desk, all of which dealt with meditation. I incorporated their references into my footnotes, hoping that someone would take what I had done and expand it into a full manuscript. I am grateful to report that David has done his homework, read these old Puritan tomes, and worked hard to share the principles he has learned for today’s readers. However, David does not write as an academic, but as a pastor. In other words, he is not interested in merely generating discussion about the Puritan teachings of meditation. He wants people to meditate on the glory of God for the glory of God. He is convinced that meditation is crucial for the spiritual battle that every Christian fights.

So read this book, but don’t read it just to talk about it or to expand your intellectual knowledge. Read it because you desire God. Therefore, read it with prayer and put it into action.

—Joel R. Beeke

Chapter 1

The Importance of Recovering the Joyful Habit of Biblical Meditation

It has become thoughtless, superficial, and self-absorbed. That was my answer to the question, What has gone wrong with modern Christianity? When this question has come up in subsequent conversations, no one has ever disagreed with my charge that modern Christianity has devolved to a superficial religion. Believers usually disagree when they discuss the antidote for this shallow spirituality. There are really only two answers to the basic problem of weak, meaningless religion. A believer could adapt and concede to the reality of anemic Christianity; many Christians follow this approach. They construct their churches to be user-friendly in their worship, shallow in their preaching, and casual in their view of Christian commitment. They believe that Christianity’s problem has been organizing churches that are too focused on Christian duties rather than creating a relaxed atmosphere. Jeremiah 6:16 outlines the second approach to deal with superficial Christianity: Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

This latter approach advocates for the church’s return to true biblical spirituality—a serious focus on putting God’s Word to practice in one’s own experience. We must wholeheartedly integrate doctrine with living. This necessary wedding of doctrine and practice destroys superficial Christianity, but it only comes through a careful and serious consideration of God’s Word. This brings us to the topic of this study—the practice of biblical meditation, or, the doctrine of Christian thinking. This is God’s battle plan for the believer’s mind.

Do you remember the first sermon that truly gripped your heart? I first experienced this joy when I was a sixteen-year-old new believer. An elderly gentleman came as a guest speaker to my church. His text was Psalm 1 on the marks of a godly, blessed person. In that sermon, the Lord drove home this primary point: a healthy, growing relationship to the Word of God is central to a person’s blessed condition. A godly person does not just snack occasionally on God’s truth; rather, the Word is his heart’s delight and hourly consideration. Psalm 1 beautifully demonstrates the practice of biblical meditation. What does it mean to meditate? It means to think personally, practically, seriously, and earnestly on how the truth of God’s Word should look in life. Edmund Calamy described it as dwelling upon the mercies we receive, the chewing upon the promises.1 When he meditates, the believer fills his mind with truth so that his life becomes governed by the attitude of the Savior.

Unfortunately, over the last century believers have lost a regular focus on Christian meditation. The Reformers and Puritans regularly wrote, taught, and exhorted God’s people to a life of meditation. Now, this emphasis has largely diminished. Christians rarely write major works on this subject in modern times. Sadly, in recent years many associate meditation with false religion of the Far East. They view meditation as a process of emptying the mind rather than, as Scripture commands, filling the mind with divinely revealed truth. Noting the ongoing battle for the minds and hearts of the current generation, this is especially alarming. Without a return to the delightful duty of biblical meditation, the believer will continue to handle God’s Word merely intellectually. He will fail to digest the Scriptures to make them his daily walk and practice.

The goal of this book is to convince God’s people of the absolute necessity of personal meditation. This book will motivate the believer to begin this work; teach practically how to meditate on divine truth; and guide in right patterns of thinking throughout the day. Two sources will aid us: biblical teaching and the rich spiritual experience of Puritans who were committed to practicing spiritual meditation. Thus, I desire to encourage God’s people to see the necessity of this extremely practical subject and to enjoy true meditation on God’s Word.

Meditation Heals a Believer’s Heart and Settles His Mind

Why have the past few generations of believers not focused on biblical meditation? Although we could answer this question in different ways, the primary reason is a lack of confidence in God’s Word to sufficiently deal with the issues, problems, and temptations that believers face. We are bombarded with difficulties, enticements, and anxieties that leave us feeling stressed and inwardly troubled. How has God designed for us to find comfort and relief for our hurting hearts? Is God pleased that His people use the world’s escape mechanisms: entertainment, alcohol, hobbies, worldly amusements, mind-numbing pop music, constant shopping, and sports? While we recognize God has freely given His people certain upright enjoyments in this world, God has chosen primarily to help us deal with discouragements and sin by applying divine truth to our minds. Meditation ties people’s fluttering minds to their true spiritual anchor of stability. William Bates wrote, There is great inconsistency in the thoughts of men; but meditation doth chain and fasten them to a spiritual object.2 Introducing some Puritan meditations, Edmond Smith commented, Meditation will lead to a calmness of disposition, a serenity of mind and a certainty about the ways of God.3 Smith reflected that former generations viewed meditation as a godly person’s greatest need, especially during times of trials and pain.

Thomas Watson wrote, A Christian enters into meditation as a man enters into the hospital, that he may be healed. Meditation heals the soul of its deadness and earthliness.4 Biblical meditation on Scripture acts as a believer’s medicine because God’s Spirit always uses the balm of His truth to provide lasting comfort and help. Richard Sibbes attested: This meditation is…a serious act of the Spirit in the inwards of the soul, whose object is spiritual, whose affection is a provoked appetite to practice holy things; a kindling in us of the love of God, a zeal toward His truth, a healing our benumbed hearts.5 Thus, God’s Spirit relieves the heart by applying divine truth through meditation. The Spirit slows down a worrying mind and restores order to the soul of His creatures. Thomas Hooker defined meditation as a serious intention of the mind whereby we come to search out the truth, and settle it effectually upon the heart.6 Just as there would be no true healing from a surgery without a serious commitment to physical rest, so there is no spiritual healing without a commitment to meditation. The believer must personally ponder and intimately apply God’s Word to his own depressing case. The great Puritan pastor Richard Baxter experienced many painful agonies during his sojourn here on earth. Yet, he was comforted by this habit of heavenly meditation. He was able to maintain wonderful equanimity of mind, though his trials and sufferings were exceedingly severe.7 Believer, the streams of God’s Word heal just as effectively today as in Baxter’s time. Trust the Spirit of comfort to help you as you begin to dwell on the eternal truths of grace and peace in God’s Word.

Meditation Provides Enormous Spiritual Value

Meditation might not produce earthly blessings like greater wealth, the reduction of trials, or a better job. However, the blessings that flow from a mind fixed on God’s truth are greater, higher, and more valuable than anything that this world could possibly offer. Through meditation, a feeble person is turned into one who is confident in God’s grace. Meditation awakens the lethargic, energizes the weary, and encourages the depressed. Nathanael Ranew wrote that little meditating makes lean Christians, of little life, little strength, little growth, and of little usefulness to others.8 More recently, Greg Daniel rightly described meditation’s value as the nucleus of the Puritan devotional life.9 In his doctoral dissertation on The Puritan Meditative Tradition, Simon Chan agreed that the Puritans considered meditation as the supreme means of grace.10 In a recent study of Watson, Jennifer Neimeyer concluded that he saw meditation upon the Word of God as the most important aspect of private Christian devotion.11

Divine meditation has a multifaceted value. It provides us spiritual discernment;12 improves our Bible reading and prayer lives;13 applies the general truths of the Bible personally and specifically;14 strengthens our hearts by focusing on spiritual truths;15 and provides lasting benefit from dwelling on the truths we know.16

Because of meditation’s great spiritual value, Satan especially opposes it. Observing this, Watson stated, The devil is an enemy of meditation…. He knows that meditation is a means to compose the heart, and to bring it into a gracious frame…. Satan is content that you should be hearing and praying Christians, so that ye be not meditating Christians; he can stand your small shot, provided that you do not put in this bullet.17 Yet, today, the devil seems to win on this point. He has convinced us that meditation is unnecessary, and we have bought into his ideas. With piercing clarity, Calamy wrote, "Now this want of meditation is a sin, that

Reviews for God’s Battle Plan for the Mind

[Vesta Luka · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very good book on biblical meditation, read it and learn how to begin meditation.