Imperial Valley Christian Center

Here's an interesting hint to meditating God's word. This is a blurb from a blog Next Reformation, the  permanent link doesn't appear to work. The author doesn't provide a reference and I haven't checked it out but it is interesting.

On the subject of meditation, the Benedictine monks had a habit of reading and re-reading a passage until something "shimmered" for them (meaning that it challenged, comforted,  confused or otherwise "called out" to them), and this was what they would meditate on. Wendy introduced this to our home group in California as we were spending a couple of months working through the Epistle to the Galatians, and it was amazing to see people begin to connect (many for the first time) with God through reading and meditating on His Word. Meditating isn't difficult once something "shimmers" -- you usually CAN'T get it out of your head!

If you spend time meditating on a list of scriptures you'll discover that some of them will become more "alive" to you. They will have more meaning. They will be very encouraging. They will be food for your spirit. By meditating I mean reading the scripture over and over to yourself. Reading it out loud to yourself. Personalizing it, i.e. restating it in terms that make it apply to you. It doesn't take much of doing this before the word will begin to become alive, but it may take a few days before you really get in to it.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

I prefer the Spanish translation of this verse in the NVI (Nueva Versión Internacionall) which is basically the Spanish NIV (New International Version).

Josué 1:8 (Nueva Versión Internacional) Recita siempre el libro de la ley y medita en él de día y de noche; cumple con cuidado todo lo que en él está escrito. Así prosperarás y tendrás éxito.

It translates the first part of the verse, "Recita siempre…" which translated back into English is "Always recite this book of the law and meditate in it by day and by night…" That's how you meditate the word, be constantly speaking it. Don't let it depart from your mouth, i.e. make sure it's always coming out of your mouth.