Most people do not have time to spend 40 minutes in Scripture every day. So perhaps it is a good idea to have a simple method where we can read Scripture and pray within, say, 15 minutes a day. (The free app WordLive from Scripture Union is excellent.)

But that is probably not enough for an abundant Christian life. It is a good idea at least once a week to set aside at least 40 minutes for an extended time in Scripture. If you have decided on 40 minutes, and after 10 of them you think you are getting nowhere and want to abandon it, do not give up, but stay with it for the full 40 minutes. This is not an exercise in self-control: it is far more important. Psalm 139 says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made; that we are intricately woven together; that such knowledge is too wonderful for me; but that our frame was not hidden from God. There are layers upon layers of consciousness within us. Very frequently the preliminary state before reaching a deeper layer is a feeling of inner emptiness, dryness and boredom. If we abandon prayer in Scripture every time we feel bored, we never reach the deeper layers.

We can spend 40 minutes in a very constructive left-brain manner, where we analyse the passage, use commentaries, etc. But there is another way, which accesses the right brain and opens us up to deeper insights into ourselves and enables us to perceive the Scriptures in a more holistic way.

This method is called imaginative meditation.

 

How to do imaginative meditation

Begin with prayer, asking God that all that is within you may be directed purely to service and praise during this time and ask, too, for a deepening knowledge and sorrow of sin as well as for the encouragement of the presence of Christ.

Now, choose a passage of Scripture (the Gospels or narrative passages are usually the best.)  We could use the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Always note the context of the story. The parable of the prodigal son is answering the accusation of Pharisees and the scribes who said, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Now read the story thoroughly until you are fully familiar with it – familiar enough that you could tell the story to someone else without looking at the Bible.

Next, sitting in a comfortable position and trying not to move unnecessarily, close your eyes and imagine yourself into the scene. Sometimes it is helpful to choose to be one of the characters in story. (I even know someone who imagined themselves to be one of the pigs!) Watch the Pharisees and scribes complain about Christ’s conduct, and watch his reactions. You may find that your sympathies are with the Pharisees, and so discover attitudes in yourself which you were previously unaware. Listen to Christ as he describes the story of the lost son. Feel the emotions of the son, of the father, of the elder brother. Which one do you find yourself relating to? Picture the younger son leaving with his inheritance. (Remember, we only receive an inheritance when someone dies: the son actually wishes the father were dead.) Picture the father’s feelings. Talk with the son about his hopes and expectations as he travels abroad. Picture his initial delight, then his feelings as his friends disappear and he is sitting in the pigsty. He is a symbol of all of us who have used up our inheritance; we have used our minds and bodies to ensure that as much of creation as possible should praise and serve us. Contemplating the son in the pigsty can put us in touch with our own inner emptiness. All that we have to do is to admit our own emptiness to God, and he rushes out to meet us. Linger with this truth because it is our tendency to want to put ourselves in order before we meet him. He comes to as we are – stinking of pigs. Feel the embrace of the father who delights in you. Let this truth break into your unbelief and speak to the Father from your heart with the simplicity of a child. And so on, to the story of the elder brother, who is so conscious of his own hard work and dutiful service that he despises anyone who does not match him, and resents leniency being shown to less conscientious people. Note the father’s reactions to him.

Lastly, when you feel that your meditation is over, reflect on what happened and take note of the things that “connected” with you. It is highly advisable to write these down in a journal.

 

What to do when you get distracted.

It would be quite rare if you are able to do this meditation without distraction. You may find you cannot get started, and your mind keeps jumping from one thought to another. You may be afflicted with doubts about the value of what you’re doing, and with doubts about your own sincerity or worthiness. You may become overwhelmed with feelings of guilt, or, hopelessness, or boredom. Do not deny these feelings or distractions. Acknowledge them, but bring yourself gently back to the scene you are contemplating. If this does not help and your mind continues to jump about, consciously bring your your scattered and distracted heart before Christ, and ask  the Spirit to hover over your chaos as the Spirit hovered over the chaos at the beginning of creation, bringing life and order out of it. The realisation of our own in the chaos is a grace, a gift of insight, not a sign of failure.

Sometimes, the distractions are of a practical nature – things we know we have to do that are worrying us. In this case, break from meditation, write them down so that you can stop worrying about them, and get back to meditation.

If you stay with imaginative meditation, you will be amazed at the wealth there is in any passage of the gospel. The longer you can linger image phrase, the better. The process should never be hurried.

 

A stillness exercise.

Our minds are so constructed that we can only concentrate on one thing at a time. If I am concentrating all my attention on what I’m feeling in my big toe, I cannot worry about my finances at the same time. So here is one suggestion for practising stillness of mind and body. This is not a spiritual exercise as such, but is a good preparation for one. Sit in a comfortable position in a comfortable chair, but do not slouch. Keep both feet  on the floor and your hands resting lightly on your thighs or joined in your lap. Close your eyes and let your whole attention focus on what you can feel in your body. Do it in as much detail as possible. You may be surprised that you can isolate what you are feeling underneath, on top, and each side of a single toe. Start at your feet and work your way upwards: one leg, then the other; up your torso and chest; up one arm, then the other. Let your attention dwell for a few seconds on each part of your body.  Your attention is on what you are feeling, not on your thoughts about what you are feeling. If you are uncomfortable or feel an itch and want to move position, just acknowledge the discomfort, assure yourself that it is all right, and without moving, continue to focus attention on what you can feel in your body. You might be surprised at how the itch goes away. Eventually work your way up the back of and across the of top your head, then down through your face – eyebrows, eyelids, eyes, cheeks, mouth. Then be aware of breath inside your nose and your lungs, and lastly become aware of how your breathing feels to you.

At this point, you could turn exercise into a spiritual one by saying a phrase repeatedly in time with your own breathing. For example, you could use the words from Acts 17:29 -  “In him I live,” [breathing in] “and move,” [breathing out] “and have my being” [resting].

You might be surprised when you finally open your eyes to find that you have a very restful sensation – even the feeling of floating.