Journey into Light

Why mess with biblical contemplation? After all, it can be risky. It’s subjective. It requires depending on the Spirit to reveal God. But don’t we depend on the Spirit to interpret Scripture – if not we run the risk of legalism – taking it literally but missing the spiritual truth?

Biblical contemplation helps us avoid a dull, lifeless spirituality that’s practices at the thinking and behavioral level and misses the heart. We can learn to embrace the Christian life as an experience of God and not just knowledge about God. “So, all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NLT).

We can’t make it happen. We depend on God to reveal himself. Our job is to prepare our hearts to receive what he wants to show and tell us. It can involve meditating on Scripture but goes beyond just thinking about God, but also communing with him.

I have been practicing contemplation lately to request him to reveal a happy memory. I then ask him where he was in the scene and if he wants to say anything to me from the scene. I often ask him to keep me from forcing an image or putting words in his mouth. I then wait, but usually not long for an image or his words. All this serves to build an experiential relationship with him of trust and love.

We do need to pray and concentrate on what he wants to reveal and expect he will.

May we learn to experience the love of Christ in a deeper way through the Christian practice of contemplation, so we “will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:19, NLT).