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In the Bible, meditation always means pondering God's revealed truths and reflecting on how they pertain to us. David revels in the richness of God's law throughout Psalm 119. He encourages us to meditate on it: "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word" (Ps. 119:15-16). Since all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), all of it is profitable for meditation in the biblical sense.

Question from Michael Collins, Poolesville, Maryland

Douglas Groothuis is professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary and the author of several books, including Unmasking the New Age and Confronting the New Age.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

A ready-to-download Bible Study on this article is available at ChristianBibleStudies.com. These unique Bible studies use articles from current issues of Christianity Today and other magazines to prompt thought-provoking discussions in adult Sunday school classes or small groups.

The verses referenced in this article are all available on this BibleGateway web page.

Other Christianity Today articles on yoga and meditation include:

The Higher Self Gets Down to Business | An old movement appears anew—in the corporate world. (Jan. 24, 2003)

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Prosperity Consciousness | How the higher self gets into business. (Jan. 24, 2003)

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Utopia or Kingdom Come? | Discerning wheat from chaff in the new business spirituality. (Jan. 24, 2003)

Weighed Down by Karmic Debt | Aspects of Tibetan spirituality should give Christians pause. (June 8, 2001)

Buddhism's Guru | The Dalai Lama, a spiritual hero to millions, works to liberate Tibet, calls on spirits, and believes Jesus lived previous lives. (June 8, 2001)

Basic Buddhism | What the Dalai Lama and his followers believe about God, Buddha, and other teachings. (June 8, 2001)

Blood and Tears in Tibet | The Dalai Lama says he appreciates Christian attempts to address persecution in his homeland. (June 8, 2001)

Inside CT: Straight Outta Dharamsala | Behind James A. Beverley's report on the Dalai Lama (June 8, 2001)

Field of TM Dreams | Fairfield, Iowa, of all places, is now a major world center for Transcendental Meditation, and local Christians are figuring out how best to evangelize Maharishi's devotees. (Jan. 12, 2001)

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Mere Transcendental Meditation | The basic concepts of neo-Vedanta philosophy. (Jan. 12, 2001)

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Sometimes It Takes a Miracle | Jim Sieber found Christ more sufficient than self-realization. (Jan. 12, 2001)

Our sister publications have more articles on yoga and New Age religion:

Is Yoga Really So Bad? | The truth behind this exercise sensation (Today's Christian Woman, September/October 2001)

Escape from the Spirit Guides | How one woman's quest led to the dark side of the New Age, where she encountered spirits that wouldn't let her leave (Today's Christian, July/August 1997)

Beliefnet has an article about Christians trying to bring yoga into a Christian context.

Earlier Good Question columns include:

Will we be vegetarians in the new heaven and earth as Adam and Eve were before the Fall?

Why doesn't God cure everyone who prays fervently for healing?

Does God need our help, love, and praise?

Are some people lost "just a little bit" in the same way that others are saved "only as through fire"?

Is Jesus Incarnate Forever?

What does Genesis mean by man being made in the image of God?

What's the difference between Christ's kingdom and paradise?

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November 2004, Vol. 48, No. 11