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A 3-Step Beginner's Guide to Biblical Meditation
- Nathan Wiggins
- Jun 12
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 19
In this 3-step beginner’s guide to biblical meditation, I’ll show you how to meditate on the Bible and practice the skill of biblical meditation.
This is a life-changing skill because meditating on the Bible clarifies and correctly forms our beliefs about God while transforming our behaviors for the better. Right beliefs and behaviors lead to a changed life. If you haven’t already, be sure to download the Beginners Guide by clicking below so you can more easily follow along with the skill.
Now, to understand and practice the skill of Biblical Meditation, we use the 3-R acronym of
READ
RECOGNIZE
REREAD
Or, if you would like to meditate from memory, the acronym would be
RECITE
RECOGNIZE
RECITE
Step #1
Step #1 in the skill of biblical meditation is to find a passage of scripture to READ. It can be as short as a verse or as long as a few chapters. The key here is to pick something you have read before, and I’ll explain why later.
If you recall from my "How Biblical Meditation Helps You See God for Who He Actually Is" video, biblical meditation is the process of focusing your mind on biblical ideas that will lead to wisdom, abundance, and life. The Hebrew word for our English word meditate is Hagah, which has the connotation of a bear growling lowly while eating its food. The idea is to ponder on a passage of scripture while murmuring it quietly. So, remember to read whatever passage of scripture you choose to read with a quiet murmur. This helps you focus on the biblical ideas at hand.
Step #2
Step #2 in the skill of biblical meditation is to RECOGNIZE certain features of the passage. Pay attention to words, phrases, and themes you have seen in other Bible passages. Additionally, pay attention to “Holy Spirit Highlights,” things that really stick out to you and that you think God is pointing out to you. It’s ok not to recognize anything, but you do want to look for familiar concepts.
Step #3
Step #3 in the skill of biblical meditation is to REREAD either the passage you just read or a passage that was referenced by the passage you just read. If you read a different passage, you can obtain understanding from the passages by comparing and contrasting each passage. If you reread the same passage, you can gain understanding by paying attention to any additional Holy Spirit highlights.
If you are new to reading the Bible, step #3 will likely be the most challenging part of the skill, as you may not have read enough of the Bible yet. This is why I suggested picking a passage you are familiar with earlier in the blog. But even after you have read just a few books in the Bible, this can still be a helpful skill for you.
Let’s take a look at an example to help us practice and understand this skill. Let's compare the mountaintop experiences of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:1-18 and of Moses in Exodus 24.
Let’s start with step one, READ. Now, I’ve already read 1 Kings 19:1-18, but if you'd like to read the passages and compare your meditation notes with mine, click on the verses above and then come back when you're done...
Ok, now that we have read the passages. We are on to step 2, RECOGNIZE. We want to pay attention to various words, phrases, or themes that you have seen in other Bible passages. So, a few things that I noticed are
Elijah’s mountaintop experience started with fear
He went to the mountain in response to God
There was a tree in the background
He ate and then walked 40 days and 40 nights
He stayed in a cave
God spoke to Elijah on the mountain and gave him instructions
An angel was there
God wasn’t in the fire, earthquake or windstorm
There were altars to the wrong gods being built
Elijah started with someone but ended up by himself
In terms of Holy Spirit Highlights, I didn't really have anything major sticking out to me as I read.
Finally, after we have recognized things in the passage, we REREAD a related passage of scripture or the same passage of scripture. For us, this will be Exodus 24. Again, if you would like to read the passage for yourself, click on the passage above then come back so you can compare notes...
Now that we have reread Exodus 24, let's examine the similarities and differences between the two passages. By examining the similarities and differences, we can gain a deeper understanding by comparing and contrasting what we have observed. Some things I saw were that
Elijah was the only person called to the mountain, but Moses AND the leaders were called to the mountain… but eventually, Moses climbed higher up the mountain and met with God by himself
In both stories, God was the one who gave the invitation to come. They didn’t come to the mountain on their own accord
God wasn’t in the fire with Elijah, but it appeared that he was in the fire with Moses
Both had a 40-day time frame
Elijah walked for 40 days, and Moses stayed on the mountain for 40 days
Both got instructions from God on the mountain
Elijah had a tree, but Moses had an altar
Altars were in both stories
Now, in light of all these similarities and differences, what can we learn from these passages? How can we piece all of this information together into something meaningful? I'll share my thoughts, but be sure to write down (or at least think about) your thoughts about the passages before reading mine.
The main theme of the passages we read was going up a mountain to talk to God. However, the details of both stories show us something remarkable. The number 40 typically marks a time of transition in the Bible (Noah, Jesus, Children of Israel). Altars and trees typically represent a time of sacrifice and or testing for God’s people (Adam and Eve, Abraham, Noah, David, Jesus on the cross).
So, what I gathered is that during times of transition, God often calls His leaders to times of sacrifice and intimacy with him so he can speak to them. There was a time in the lives of both these leaders when they had to leave everyone behind and be with God. Once they left everyone, they got clear instructions for the next leg of their journey.
Bringing this home for us, this concept may be true in the life of every believer, but I especially believe it is true for leaders in the Church. Therefore, if you are a disciple of Jesus, especially a leader in the Church... expect a call from God to sacrifice, separate, and be alone with him during times of transition. He does this so we can receive the necessary instructions for the next season of our lives. This is what I got from meditating on these two passages.
That was the skill of biblical meditation in a nutshell. Read, recognize, and reread. As we saw from our passages, when we practice this skill, it can reveal great wisdom and profound insight. It may be a bit clunky at first, but like any skill, the more you do it, the more fluid you will be in it.
Meditating on the Bible clarifies our beliefs concerning the nature, character, and behavior of God and humanity. When you misunderstand God, you will misunderstand why you are alive, how to live, and what happens after you die. However, when you have a clearer, more accurate picture of God, your behaviors will change for the better. You can have a clearer picture of why you are alive, how to live, and what happens after you die. Taking the time to practice the skill of biblical meditation will lead to a life well-lived. A life deeply connected to God, deeply connected to others, and filled with a clear purpose.
If you want more practice in the skill of biblical meditation, remember to download the beginner's guide above. If you want to continue practicing other skills that will help you grow and maintain wholehearted devotion to God, check out the additional skills on the website or explore our videos on YouTube. To check out the video accompanying this blog, click here.
Let's stay connected!
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