GOD’S BATTLE PLAN FOR THE MIND
The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation
David W. Saxton
Reformation Heritage Books
Grand Rapids, Michigan
God’s Battle Plan for the Mind
© 2015 by David W. Saxton
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Direct your requests to the publisher at the following address:
Reformation Heritage Books
2965 Leonard St. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
616-977-0889 / Fax 616-285-3246
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Saxton, David W.
God’s battle plan for the mind : the Puritan practice of biblical meditation / David W. Saxton.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-60178-371-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Meditation—Christianity. 2. Meditation—Puritans. 3. Meditation—Reformed Church. I. Title.
BV4813.S23 2015
248.3’4—dc23
2014046678
1. The Importance of Recovering the Joyful Habit of Biblical Meditation
2. Unbiblical Forms of Meditation
3. Defining Biblical Meditation
7. Important Occasions for Meditation
8. Choosing Subjects for Meditation
10. The Benefits of Meditation
12. Getting Started: Beginning the Habit of Meditation
Conclusion: Thoughts on Meditation and Personal Godliness
Imagine being invited to a private dinner hosted by a friend who works as a chef in a five-star restaurant. This person is renowned for cooking meals that are nutritious, healthy, delightful, and satisfying. You can hardly wait for the day to arrive. Finally it comes, and from the moment you step in the front door, you are embraced by tantalizing aromas. As the host seats you, the colors and arrangement of the food on various dishes are a feast for the eyes. Your friend has thoughtfully chosen your favorite foods.
However, just as you sink your fork into the first bite and raise it to your lips, your phone chirps like a cuckoo clock gone mad. The strident voice on the line is your boss’s, and before he finishes his first sentence you know that you will never eat the delicacies set before you. With a rumbling stomach and a tight smile, you make your excuses and head out the door. You saw the food and smelled it, but never chewed it, digested it, or benefited from it. That is the Christian life without meditation.
All over the world, people go to hear the preaching of the Word on the Lord’s Day. Those who are serious about spiritual growth spend time regularly reading the Bible. However, though they hear and read the Word, too often they do not chew or digest it. Before their time in the Word is done, the world is calling, and they rush off after the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. As a result, though they can perhaps ...
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About God’s Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical MeditationDuring the seventeenth century, English Puritan pastors often encouraged their congregations in the spiritual discipline of meditating on God and His Word. Today, however, much of evangelicalism is either ignorant of or turned off to the idea of meditation. In God’s Battle Plan for the Mind, pastor David Saxton seeks to convince God’s people of the absolute necessity for personal meditation and motivate them to begin this work themselves. But he has not done this alone. Rather, he has labored through numerous Puritan works in order to bring together the best of their insights on meditation. Standing on the shoulders of these giants, Saxton teaches us how to meditate on divine truth and gives valuable guidance about how to rightly pattern our thinking throughout the day. With the rich experiential theology of the Puritans, this book lays out a course for enjoying true meditation on God’s Word. |
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