How are we to Meditate?



Remember back at the beginning of this series, we talked about Mary and how she shows us what meditation is, biblically speaking. Well, now as we approach the end, let’s think about Mary again. And in fact, we’ll think about another Mary as well. For Luke, you see, presents us with two Marys who show us how to meditate.

The first Mary we’ve already met, Blessed Mary the Mother of our Lord (NB Luke 1:48!). And how did she meditate? She ‘kept all these things and pondered them in her heart’ (Luke 2:19, cf. v.51). So what did she do? So what’s Mary’s way of meditating?

  • Hear the Word
  • Keep the Word in your heart
  • Ponder the Word in your heart

Mary’s “method” isn’t complicated! So let’s be like Mary!

Now, as I’ve said, Luke also introduces to another meditating Mary. You might know her – she’s got a sister named Martha and a brother who came back from the dead, called Lazarus. So what does this second Mary have to teach us about how to meditate? Well, we find the answer in the tenth chapter of Luke’s Gospel.

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet as He spoke His Word to her. So what was this Mary’s way of meditating?

  • Set aside distractions
  • Delight in Christ and His Word
  • Submit yourself to Christ and His Word (Sit at His feet!)
  • Attentively hear the Word
  • Let Christ and His Word be all your focus
  • Keep/hold onto/hide the Word in your heart so that it will not be taken away

Mary chose ‘that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’ Likewise, let us choose to treasure Christ and His Word in such a way that the Word will not be taken away from us. Remember Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8, that those who are abundantly fruitful and don’t wither and perish are those who ‘having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it’ (Luke 8:15).

Next time we’ll think a bit more about what it means to ‘keep’ the Word.

And here are the links to the rest of the series so far: