Dissect and Define: Meditation

At Reformers Unanimous, we like to do three things—talk, talk, talk! For those of you who attend a Reformers Unanimous meeting on Friday night, you know that during the third talk a preacher will speak to us from God’s Word. In Rockford, Brother Curington has taught us that he uses two other beneficial steps to help him better understand what God’s Word is telling him—dissect and define. Joshua 1:8 tells us to “meditate” in God’s Word, not just read it. God promises us that if we do this, He will make our way prosperous. But to be able to meditate, we must understand what the verse really means and how it can relate to our life’s circumstances. That is why we “dissect and define” verses. Dissecting and defining simply means that we break down a Bible verse and define the words and phrases found within it. We put it back together in a paraphrase to better understand what God is trying to teach us. It’s a practical way to study your Bible.

You see, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the large words or intimidated by an old English phrase that isn’t part of our “21st century lingo.” Of course, we don’t want people to find Bible versions that are easier to understand, but we also don’t want to fail to see the truth that is staring at us! When we pull the verse apart and individually define the word’s meanings, the verse comes alive to us!

Now let me tell you how I and many others do this. I use an 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, a great tool that is strongly recommended for all our students (which makes it good for us). This is a valuable resource because it was written at approximately the same era and uses nearly the same language culture as our King James Bible. Therefore, the definitions will more closely match what the Bible word really means. You see, there are many words in today’s vernacular that had very different meanings in Bible days. This dictionary should eliminate that problem.

Bro. Curington’s habit of dissecting and defining Bible verses has taught me many little truths that have had a large impact on my life. As an example, here is a recently dissected and defined verse that Brother Curington taught us. When dissected and defined, it taught me that beauty truly comes from within! Let’s take a look.

Proverbs 17:22 “A merry (pleasant and agreeable) heart (meditator) doeth good (makes beautiful) like a medicine (cure): but a broken spirit (temperament) drieth (withers) the bones (inward being).” This is a verse I have often read and thought I understood. But once I saw the dissected and defined version of it, I gained a different insight.

Dissected, defined and paraphrased, we learn that a “The pleasant and agreeable meditations of my heart make me beautiful. It’s like a medicinal cure for ugly! But a broken temperment withers the inward being.”

I believe that a pleasant and agreeable meditation is the best “beauty cream” you can buy! As I watch the ladies in my group grow spiritually, I see the hardness of sin literally fade away. It’s a medicine that brings a sure cure! You can use Pond’s, microderm abrasion, or even have a “face lift” and it won’t do what a merry heart can do! This dictionary has made a huge difference in my spiritual enlightenment. Get yours today and begin to “dissect and define!”

Wendy Burks