You may find it helpful to read the chapter Intro to Scripture Meditation before trying any of the Scripture meditation activities.
This activity is good when you have a short window of time for Scripture meditation, as it usually takes 30 minutes or less. You will use a timer, which can be especially helpful if you tend to rush through meditation time. Choose a timer with a quiet/peaceful alarm sound. Choose a short passage of Scripture and use the following steps as a guide for meditating on God’s Word.
Silence
Set a timer for 3 to 7 minutes. During this time, sit in a comfortable position and take a few minutes to be still and silent—this can help prepare our minds and hearts to listen to God’s Word. It may be helpful to close your eyes during this time. Commit any anxieties or distractions to God, and seek to rest in Him, knowing that He is with you. A short prayer or verse can sometimes help us set our minds on things above, and calm and quiet our souls.
Example verses:
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” Psalm 62:5
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
Reading
Turn to the text and read it out loud slowly and gently 3 to 4 times. Don’t rush. What words, phrases, ideas, or images strike you or evoke a response in your mind or heart?
Meditation
Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes. During this time dwell on the passage you just read and allow it to engage your heart, your mind, and your soul. Talk with God about how the passage impacts you. It can be helpful to close your eyes for this time. Continue until the timer goes off.
Silence
Finish with a few moments of stillness and silence before God.
Then, take some time to journal about the impact His Word has had on your mind and heart.
Group Option
This activity is very easy to do in a group context and could be done in groups of 2 to 20 people with little modification.
Designate one person to set the timers and read the Scripture. Decide on a passage of Scripture to meditate upon (you can decide together, or one person can decide for the whole group). Sit in a circle. Follow the instructions above with the reader reading the passage slowly and clearly for all to hear. After you finish the time of meditation, give everyone around 5 minutes to journal about the impact God’s Word had on their mind and heart.
Optionally, you can break up into small groups afterward (groups of about 4 people work well) to share about the time of Scripture meditation. Focus on listening to each person and making sure everyone has an opportunity to share. One easy way to briefly share is for each person to read an excerpt from what they journaled, reading only the portions that they feel comfortable sharing with the group.