A Modern-Day
Prophet’s Invitation
Imagine, for a moment, the President of the Church getting
up in General Conference and telling the general membership – if not the entire
world – the key to opening the most secret, sacred doors through which we
could pass into the presence of the Lord.
Imagine the effect the knowledge of that key would have in
every family, every man, woman and child on the planet. Imagine the possibilities it would have in
your own life.
Actually, such an announcement was made by the President of
the Church, although it was in the Improvement Era in 1967, not a 2012 General
Conference. Still, the significance of
his announcement is undiminished.
Here, now, is what a prophet said on how he, we, you can enter
the divine presence:
“I think we pay too little
attention to the value of meditation, a principle of devotion.
In our worship there are two
elements: one is spiritual communion rising from our own meditation; the other
instruction from others, particularly from those who have authority to guide
and instruct us. Of the two, the more profitable introspectively is meditation.
Meditation is one of the most
secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the
Lord" (Pres. David O. McKay, “Consciousness of God: Supreme Goal of Life,”
Improvement Era, June 1967, pp. 80–82).
I want to emphasize that last sentence again:
"Meditation is one of the most
secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord."
Isn’t it interesting that almost 45 years later, his
successor would briefly echo his comments by saying:
"In this fast-paced life, do
we ever pause for moments of meditation—even thoughts of timeless truths?"
(Pres. Thomas S. Monson, "The Race of Life," April 2012 General
Conference)
Pres. McKay said “I think we pay too little attention to the
value of meditation, a principle of devotion” (“Man May
Know for Himself”, p. 22–23).
However, I believe it’s never too late for us – you and I – to not only
pay attention to it, but to also experiment with it so that we, too, can enter
the “most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of
the Lord.”
I've read many, many conference talks and Ensign articles
mentioning the word "meditation".
In almost all cases, "meditation" is considered synonymous
with reflection, introspection, "profound contemplation" or
"deep thought". However, the
words “ponder” and “meditate” often exhibit subtle differences.
Pondering
Pondering often
involves deeply contemplating the words of God:
- Moroni used the term as he closed his record saying, “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things … that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men … and ponder it in your hearts." (Moroni 10:3).
- When the angel appeared to Mary to tell her that she was to be the mother of Christ, Luke 2:19 says, "Mary kept these things, and pondered them in her heart."
- Jesus said to the Nephites, “I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words. Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand. …” (3 Ne. 17:2-3)
- Nephi tells us of one such occasion, “For it came to pass," he wrote, "after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceeding high mountain. …” (1 Ne. 11:1) Then follows Nephi's account of the great vision he was given by the Spirit of the Lord, because he believed the words of his prophet father and had such a great desire to know more that he pondered and prayed about them. In fact, Nephi went on to exult: "My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them.... Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard." (2 Nephi 4:15-16.)
- President Joseph F. Smith tells us that "on the third of October, in the year nineteen hundred and eighteen, I sat in my room pondering over the Scriptures. …” He had particular reference at this time to Peter's statement that Christ "went and preached unto the spirits in prison" (1 Pet. 3:19) while his body lay in the grave. “As I pondered over these things which are written," President Smith continued, "the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the dead, both small and great. …” The result: D&C 138.
Meditating
Meditation, on the
other hand, involves repositioning oneself away from the storms, turmoil,
chaos, loudness and confusion of life to a solitary, peaceful environment to
become better attuned to, and eventually enjoy the presence of, divinity. Again, this involves minimizing one’s involvements
with the physical world for a time in order to concentrate on something inner,
on ideas and feelings (Chauncey C. Riddle, "Prayer", Ensign, Mar.
1975).
Christ filled his
mortal life with meditative examples. As
soon as he was baptized and received the Father’s approval, “This is my Beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased,” (Matthew 3:17) Jesus went to what is now known
as the Mount of Temptation. As Pres.
David O. McKay stated,
"I like to think of it as the
Mount of Meditation where, during the forty days of fasting, he communed with
himself and his Father, and contemplated upon the responsibility of his great
mission. One result of this spiritual communion was such strength as enabled
him to say to the tempter: “'…Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou
shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' (Matt.
4:10)" (Conference Report, Apr. 1946, 113).
In solitude, in communion, “he went out into a mountain to
pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12) – a necessary
action he took before he gave his Sermon on the Mount.
He did the same thing after a busy Sabbath day, when he
arose early in the morning, after having been the guest of Peter: “And in the
morning, rising up a great while before day, Jesus went out, and departed into
a solitary place, and there prayed.” (Mark 1:35) Peter undoubtedly found the guest chamber
empty, and when they sought Jesus, they found him alone.
Again, after Jesus had fed the five thousand he told the
Twelve to dismiss the multitude, but Jesus went to the mountain for solitude.
The historian says, “when the evening was come, he was there alone.” (Matt.
14:23)
Relatable, Reproducible
Meditation
Yet it was Joseph
Smith’s spiritual journey which provides us a very relatable, and very
reproducible, method of successfully pondering and meditating. Even 191 years later, his example illuminates
the way for others to follow his path.
We all know Joseph Smith’s recounting of the First Vision
(here). The thing that stands out to me,
though, are some key words he used in his account. These are, in many ways, spiritual
breadcrumbs he left behind, so that we, too, could replicate his experience (a
very “Joseph-like” thing).
I’m going to copy and paste some of what he said in Joseph
Smith-History. And with what you know
(so far) about pondering and meditation, see if you can find the breadcrumbs,
the indications that he engaged in true pondering and then meditation…
8
During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious
reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often
poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended
their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my
mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to
be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the
different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was,
and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who
was right and who was wrong.
9 My mind at
times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant…
10 In the midst
of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to
be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together?
If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?
11 I was one day
reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse…
12 I reflected
on it again and again…
14 So, in
accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to
make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the
spring of eighteen hundred and twenty.
15 After I had
retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked
around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the
desires of my heart to God.
Now, your results may have varied from mine somewhat, but
here’s what I discovered:
Joseph pondered
8 mind was called up to serious
(amidst) great confusion and strife
9 Greatly excited mind
Great
and incessant cry and tumult
10 war
of words and tumult of opinions
often said to myself
11 read the Epistle of James, first chapter
and fifth verse…
12 reflected on it again and
again…
Joseph meditated
14 determination
retired to the woods
the morning
15 retired
to the place where I had previously designed to go
found himself alone
kneeled down
offered up the desires of his heart to
God
Joseph’s journey progressed from pondering (verses 8-12) to later
meditating (verses 14-15). And we all
know what happened next.
And now, it’s your
turn…
In the next blog post, we’ll start to walk this same path that Joseph
walked. We’ll follow and experiment with his breadcrumbs of pondering
and meditating carefully, deliberately and thoughtfully – all of which (at
least, in Joseph’s case) culminated in an inevitable result…
…the same result Pres. McKay mentioned we could have:
Entering the divine presence.
Are you up for the challenge?
I will be very interested to see what you have to say on meditation. I feel very confident in my ability to ponder but not so much with meditation. Praying out loud is easy for me...I stay focused and have many wonderful experiences. When I think of meditation, I think of sitting in silence...I lose focus easily. Kinda like when I pray silently...my mind wanders off course too easily. I feel very insecure about how to approaxh this whole topic of meditation because I am not sure what I am supposed to be doing or accomplishing exactly, so I am very glad you are going to discuss it.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Ditto
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that Joseph Smith's blessing from his father, it mentions the word "meditate." I look forward to learn more about meditation.
ReplyDeleteI have often wondered what Jesus did for forty days and forty nights. I have contemplated such a period for myself, and have concluded I'd spend the time in the scriptures and praying. I wonder, though, what Jesus did, since in all likelihood he did not have a copy of the scriptures. Maybe I am wrong, but I get the impression that copies would have been prohibitively expensive and so the synagogue was the only place to read them. What did he do for 40 days?!
ReplyDelete