Five days after 9/11, a small group of us boarded a flight to a worship conference. Music and worship had been a part of my life since childhood, but I had always preferred to stay in the far, back, dim corner. I didn’t want to stand out. But I also longed to know God and walk intimately with Him.
I didn’t realize He was about to give me a taste of the beautiful and holy life I could have with Him that would overflow in ways I’d never dreamed possible.
One of the first things we did upon arrival was choose our workshops. As I looked through the list of topics and speakers, one kept drawing me back. I had not heard of the speaker, and I don’t even remember the topic at this point, but I couldn’t deny the pull of the Holy Spirit so I registered.
Unlike some of the more popular workshops, this particular one was in a smaller, side room. A young student from the worship school stood up front, smiling as we found our seats.
Our teacher wasn’t what I’d call charismatic or outgoing. She wasn’t perfectly polished in her presentation. She taught on a single verse. And yet, she captivated my attention as I had never experienced. This young lady was quite literally a fountain, gushing out her awe and wonder of her Creator as we drank deeply of her love for 50 minutes.
I didn’t take notes. I don’t think I could have found the words. Her message was more than words. She planted seeds in me that day that would produce a harvest for bread to eat and more seed to plant.
Twenty-four years later, when preparing to teach on biblical meditation at my church, the Holy Spirit brought this young lady to mind. When I leaned in to understand why, He dropped these thoughts into my heart:
More than teaching, she demonstrated the fruit of her meditation. More than giving us information, she revealed her friendship with God. And in these, she imparted a hunger and awe from her own walk with God into each of us.
My life was changed by that one hour with an enraptured soul who had walked in the garden of God’s heart. She unknowingly set the course for my burning desire to impart love and life into others through the overflow of His love and life within me.
And now, all these years later, she was the Holy Spirit’s starting point to take me deeper in my understanding of meditation. My heart leapt in joy at the path ahead.
The Elephant in the Room
The practice of meditation comes with a bit of baggage. Many Christians have side-stepped the whole topic since it is so commonly related to eastern religions or the New Age movement. In our current culture, everyone from health and business coaches to inspirational speakers use meditation to help their clients achieve goals.
So, is it good or helpful, sometimes? Are we playing with fire when we meditate?
