March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
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The Preparation <strong>of</strong> Sermons 81(4.) Meditation. There is no movement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> heart till <strong>the</strong> truth is clearlyexhibited to <strong>the</strong> mind, set strongly in view and deeply pondered. Augustine’ssteps in preparation are instructive: reading seeks; prayer asks; meditationfinds; contemplation tastes. Lu<strong>the</strong>r reckoned that “this exercise suggests more,much more, than all our commentators combined”. Owen speaks <strong>of</strong> meditationas a very difficult exercise: “Meditation is a duty that, by reason <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vanity<strong>of</strong> our own minds and <strong>the</strong> variety <strong>of</strong> objects which <strong>the</strong>y are apt to fix upon,even believers <strong>the</strong>mselves do find as great a difficulty <strong>the</strong>rein as any”. 3It is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> privileges as well as responsibilities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> a ministerthat it involves him in revolving spiritual truths in his mind so that <strong>the</strong> mindmight be moulded by <strong>the</strong>se truths. As with food, <strong>the</strong> preacher digests <strong>the</strong>Word and makes it his own. “Thy words were found and I did eat <strong>the</strong>m, andThy word was unto me <strong>the</strong> joy and rejoicing <strong>of</strong> mine heart; for I am calledby Thy name O Lord God <strong>of</strong> hosts” (Jer 15:16). And <strong>the</strong> roll which Ezekielwas constrained to eat was given with a view to <strong>the</strong> prophet going to speakGod’s word to <strong>the</strong> house <strong>of</strong> Israel. “And He said unto me, son <strong>of</strong> man, causethy belly to eat and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give <strong>the</strong>e. Then did Ieat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness” (3:3). Poole suggeststhat <strong>the</strong> reference to bowels is an allusion to mercy since <strong>the</strong> bowels aretaken as <strong>the</strong> seat <strong>of</strong> compassion.One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> questions put at <strong>the</strong> ordination <strong>of</strong> a minister is: “Are not zealfor <strong>the</strong> honour <strong>of</strong> God, love to Jesus Christ, and desire <strong>of</strong> saving souls yourgreat motives and chief inducements to enter into <strong>the</strong> function <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> holyministry, and not worldly designs and interests?” 4 The way to drive out“worldly designs and interests” is to meditate on <strong>the</strong> Word. It was after thishad been accomplished, that <strong>the</strong> command came: “Son <strong>of</strong> man, go, get <strong>the</strong>eunto <strong>the</strong> house <strong>of</strong> Israel, and speak with My words unto <strong>the</strong>m” (Ezek 3:4).It is when <strong>the</strong> subject matter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Truth is inwrought by meditation that weare able to say in a measure as <strong>the</strong> apostles: “We cannot but speak <strong>the</strong> thingswhich we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). If we are to be <strong>of</strong> any value in<strong>the</strong> ministry we must learn to commune with our own hearts and be still.(5.) Prayer. The Hebrew word for meditation may be translated prayer.We read that Isaac “went out to meditate in <strong>the</strong> field at <strong>the</strong> eventide” (Gen 24:63), and it was equally a time <strong>of</strong> prayer which that good man was accustomedto spend in seeking <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> God. Certainly meditation will give rise toprayer and prayer to meditation. Daniel was meditating on <strong>the</strong> word <strong>of</strong> Godin <strong>the</strong> book <strong>of</strong> Jeremiah. His meditation was fruitful, for he came to understandthat <strong>the</strong> 70 years <strong>of</strong> captivity were drawing to an end. This was not merely3 The Works <strong>of</strong> John Owen, vol 9, p 558.4Manual <strong>of</strong> Practice <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Free</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> <strong>Scotland</strong>, p 152.