Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Meditation
Read Chapter 1 of Celebration of Discipline. Key Scripture: Psalm 1:2; Joshua 1:8; Philippians 4:8.
Want the full guide for Celebration of Discipline?
Free Week 1 sample in 5 min · $24.99 for all 16 weeks · 7-day refund
Christian meditation, Foster argues, is not the emptying of the mind but the filling of it — a focused, loving attention to God and His word that opens us to His voice. Consider this week what it would mean to truly 'meditate' in the biblical sense.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Foster draws a sharp distinction between Eastern meditation, which aims at emptying the mind, and Christian meditation, which aims at filling the mind with God. Why is this distinction important, and how might it relieve concerns some Christians have about meditation?
2.He describes meditation as 'the ability to hear God's voice and obey His word.' Have you ever experienced a moment — in prayer, in reading Scripture, in nature — when you felt you genuinely heard from God? What did that feel like, and what made it possible?
3.Foster introduces the practice of meditating on Scripture by 'ruminating' on it — returning to a passage again and again as a cow chews its cud. Try this with a short passage (Psalm 23:1 or John 15:5) before your group meeting. What did you notice on the second or third reading that you missed on the first?
You're on Week 2 of 16
Don't lose momentum — get the rest of Celebration of Discipline
All 99 questions across 16 weeks, with closing prayers and a downloadable PDF for your group.
One-time purchase · 7-day refund · Covers your whole group