I can’t remember where I first came across the recommendation to read an old Puritan writer, Edmund Calamy, on the nature of Christian meditation, but I’m glad I put his work on my Kindle and devoted time to it.
The Art of Divine Meditation, published in 1680, contains rich insights for Christians seeking to grow in the ability and desire to fulfill Psalm 1’s example of the righteous meditating on God’s Word day and night—as well as the Lord’s command in Joshua 1:8: “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.”
What Is ‘Spontaneous’ Meditation?
One aspect of meditation I’d never considered is the spontaneous kind—“throughout the day” opportunities to turn our attention to God and his Word, not by withdrawing into solitude or engaging in lengthy concentration but by seeing even the busyness of life as an avenue for contemplating divine things. Calamy calls this “occasional” or “sudden” meditation. I’ve adapted his words into contemporary English:
It’s when you take what you’ve seen or heard or tasted—anything that appeals to your senses—and raise your thoughts to heavenly things. It’s when you use creation as a footstool to lift your heart to God, as a ladder to climb toward heaven.
Psalm 8:3–4 provides a biblical precedent: “When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?”
As with writers before and after him, Calamy reminds us that all creation is a picture of God, a reflection of his glory. God has given us two books: Scripture and creation. The Word and the world. Even if Scripture is God’s special revelation that reveals redemption’s mystery, the world remains a source of “excellent things concerning heaven.” In God’s creativity, we see his power, goodness, mercy, and wisdom (Rom. 1:20). Creation, rightly received, should move us to awe, love, and worship of the Creator.
Learn from Creation and History
Calamy points to biblical examples of seeing creation as a stepladder to setting our hearts on things above: the author of Proverbs observing the ant (Prov. 6:6); a prophet mentioning storks, turtledoves, swallows, and cranes (Jer. 8); and Jesus pointing anxious disciples to the birds of the air and lilies of the field (Matt. 6). Water from a well becomes an occasion for Jesus to speak of living water (John 4). Loaves become the basis for his discourse on the bread of life (John 6).
For the spiritually minded, this practice is easier than formal, extended meditation. Every creature of God teaches us something good. Even the smallest—a spider—provides lessons. Scripture compares the hope of the wicked to a spider’s web: fragile, painstakingly spun, but easily destroyed. If God can use even a spider, a toad, or a viper to point us to truth, then surely every part of creation is a book from which we may learn. To miss those lessons is to be a poor student in a world filled with 10,000 teachers.
History, too, is full of examples: saints who marveled at nature as a testimony to God’s providence, or a minister in Elizabethan England who, on his deathbed, felt the sun’s rays and spoke of the “Sun of Righteousness” and the glory that awaited him. Music, architecture, and even people-watching can stir thoughts of eternity. The world is full of ladders to God if only we open our eyes.
Spontaneous Meditation Throughout the Day
The point Calamy makes is that this kind of meditation can be done anytime, anywhere. Even if you’re a busy worker without an hour for deliberate reflection, you can still lift your heart to heaven while you work. Whatever your task, you can turn it into a reminder of spiritual things, because every part of creation can serve a holy purpose. No one can truly say they lack time for this.
Calamy concludes by walking through an ordinary day, showing how a believer can turn common experiences into meditations on divine things. I’ve adapted and abbreviated his descriptions here:
- Rising in the morning: As easily as I rise from bed, so will it be when God raises his people from the grave at the great resurrection.
- Seeing the sunrise: Just as the sun brightens the sky, so one day Christ, the “Sun of Righteousness,” will appear with his angels, and all his saints will shine like countless suns in the firmament.
- Heading out into the world: I’m never alone—God, my Judge, is with me, and the Evil One seeks to make me stumble. I seek to walk in the light of the Lord.
- Encountering people: Seeing the lost, I remember my past and thank God for his grace to me. Meeting fellow believers, I pray to grow in holiness and aspire to godliness. Observing wisdom, beauty, or learning, I remind myself that all excellency flows from God, the fountain of all wisdom and beauty.
- In the shop or workplace: As I weigh goods, I recall that God will weigh me and my deeds in his perfect scales: “A false balance is an abomination to the LORD” (Prov. 11:1).
- Walking in the fields: Grass and flowers remind me that all flesh is like grass—lovely but fading. When evildoers prosper, I recall, “Fret not yourself because of evildoers. . . . They will soon wither like the grass” (Ps. 37).
- Traveling: As ships face dangers at sea, so my soul sails this world’s waters, full of perils. Just as merchants insure their vessels, I must seek assurance for my soul through faith in Christ, anticipating the safe harbor of heaven.
- Under the night sky: The stars are but the outer courts of God’s dwelling. If the outbuildings are this glorious, how much greater must be the palace where Christ reigns and intercedes for me.
- Lying down at night: Another day is finished, another account to render. One night will be my last, after which comes only the great day of resurrection.
Eyes in Two Directions
This kind of spontaneous meditation is possible for any believer who studies the Word and observes the world. It requires both: eyes open to Scripture and then eyes open to creation, drawing connections and seizing opportunities to lift the heart to God.
Psalm 143:5 says, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands.” Calamy asks, “Will not this heavenlize you, and spiritualize you?” If you’re looking to incorporate meditation into your life as a formative practice, spontaneous meditation—looking at everything as an opportunity to point our hearts to the Lord throughout the day—would be a good place to start.
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