Taste & See: The Power of Biblical Meditation

Imagine this. In the middle of running errands, you stop at the drive-thru, buy some french fries and munch on them on the way home. Once you get settled in, you put ingredients for a stew in your slow cooker. A few hours later, the aroma summons you, inviting you to enjoy the feast that you have prepared. This is the difference between consuming and savoring.

Recently, I met with a spiritual director and read a scripture that was on my mind. Then, she asked me to read it again but at a slower pace – it hit differently, and more deeply. As Christian women business owners, we want to prioritize our relationship with God. Yet with our busy lives, it is tempting to rush through even our spiritual practices to get things done. What would it be like to sit with a scripture that you have studied, and to savor it to get as much nutrition and flavor as possible? This is the gift of Biblical

meditation.

To illustrate the importance of this practice, I invite you to read Matthew 3:17-4:4, which has been a go-to for me, especially in dry seasons. As you sit with this text, here are some nuggets for you to ponder.

Know Who You Are.

And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 (NRSV)

I love that this was spoken before Jesus had started his earthly ministry. It is good to be faithful in your business and other opportunities that God has provided, but know that your Belovedness to God is grounded in who you are in Christ, not what you achieve.

Have Nothing to Prove.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Matthew 4:1-3 (NRSV)

Notice the tempter’s strategy – beginning with the word “if” and trying to get Jesus to second guess His identity and “prove” Himself. A deep knowing of your Belovedness will do two things. First, it will redirect any tendencies to compare your entrepreneurial journey with others. Second, it will block impostor syndrome before it sets in. Remind yourself of this – you are in Christ and there is no “if” about it.

Savor God’s Word and Presence.

But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 (NRSV)

In his humanity, Jesus was famished after His fast. Yet He refused to yield to the temptation that the devil presented. He knew His ultimate source. So it is with us as we savor not just every word, but every word that comes from the mouth of God. We are nourished by feasting on God’s Word in God’s Presence. We are reminded that God is with us and for us as we move forward in our responsibilities in business, family and community.

There is an ancient Christian practice called Lectio Divina that is very useful for Biblical meditation. Select a passage of Scripture as you feel led by the Spirit of God. If possible, find it on a Bible app or record it on your phone so that you can listen to it. Be sure to have a journal or notebook ready to write your reflections down. Next, do the following:

Read: Read or listen to the passage, wait in silence for three minutes, and make note of what word, phrase or sentence seems to light up for you.

Reflect: Read or listen to the passage for a second time, wait in silence for three minutes, and make note of how the word, phrase or sentence is touching your life right now.

Respond: Read or listen to the passage for a third time, wait in silence for three minutes, and consider what God is inviting you to be, become or do as a result. Respond to God in prayer.

Rest: Read or listen to the passage for a fourth time and rest in God’s presence concerning the transformation that will take place.

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About the Author: As one of God’s Beloved Daughters and owner of Answering Your Call LLC, Sharon Fleshman is a minister, writer, and coach who empowers Christian leaders to answer God’s call to relationship, identity and purpose. You can connect with Sharon through email at answeryourcalltoday@gmail.com or read her reflections on spiritual renewal, vocational wellbeing, and fruitful living at Flow to Fruitful.