Christian meditation is a method of communicating with God. Christians may use this meditation to clear their minds of the busy thoughts during the day and concentrate solely on worshipping God and learning the truths from the Bible.

Centuries ago, monks began practicing Christian meditation by reading over verses from the Bible after which considering the truths in these verses. Often, they would say the verses to God like a prayer. In this way, the monks learned to speak with God in prayer, and learned how you can tell God their own thoughts and concerns. By meditating on Bible verses and praying to God, the monks trained their minds to always think about God. They called this contemplation, and it helped them to have a close, loving relationship with God.

By using this process of communicating with God, the monks created what is called the “ladder of prayer”. The rungs of the ladder included reading Bible verses, thinking about the truths in the verses, praying to God, and learning to contemplate God always.

Within the 1900s, two types of Christian meditation were used. Employing a mantra, or word which is repeated to help the Christian focus on God, was one sort of meditation. A good example of a mantra could be the word Maranatha, which is an Aramaic word for “come, Lord”. Christians would also employ what is called a Centering Prayer, which uses a sacred word or words to bring the Christian into God’s presence. These two types of Christian meditation helped individuals using them to take their focus off their particular problems and to turn to God to hear what He had to speak about to them.

A lady named St. Theresa of Avila created five steps to assist Christians concentrate on God when praying. These five steps are referred to as the five R’s.

-The very 1st R is Ready: this is the step when the Christian realizes that he/she is in the presence of God. To become prepared to continue in prayer, the Christian thanks God for the many blessings He gives, and confesses any sins.

-The second R is Read, and includes reading prayers, spiritual books, and the Bible.

-The 3rd R is Reflect. In this step, the Christian concentrates on what he/she has just read so as to come closer to God.

-The fourth R is Respond. It’s only at that step that the Christian speaks with God in an open and honest way about what he/she has been reading and considering. It is the most significant step, as this is the time God can share His wisdom and thoughts with the Christian.

-The fifth and final R is Resolve. This is where the Christian thanks God for what he/she has learned, and closes the period of prayer.

These various kinds of Christian meditation can all be useful in assisting Christians to meet with God, come close to Him, and learn His truths. Christian meditation does not save a person from their sins; it is a tool that can be used by those who are already saved to generate a stronger relationship with God.

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