Tag Archives: Meditation

Alone with God

Lent

March 4, 2020

Scripture Reading: Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
   from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
   who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
   he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
   the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
   he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
   your going out and your coming in
   from this time on and for evermore.

Sometimes it is good to just savor a Psalm, and this is one of the Psalms that needs to be savored. Get comfortable in a favorite spot, inhale deeply a few times slowing yourself down, tighten and then relax the muscles in your body starting with your feet and moving to the top of your head. Once stilled, slowly read the Psalm noticing the words that are the most meaningful to you. Stop if it feels right and consider the word or phrase. What is the message that you needed right now coming from this word, this phrase, this Psalm? Thank God for God’s loving presence as you dwell with God in this Psalm.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for your loving presence, the depth of your understanding, and your gift of unconditional love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Encountering God

Epiphany

February 20, 2020

Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-21

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. –2 Peter 1:16-18

Several years ago, I came home from work feeling very sorry for myself. I do not remember why. At the time, I was reading a book that suggested a meditation based on putting yourself in the role of one of the people Jesus encountered as described in the gospels. I thought I would try the meditation form. I quieted and centered myself and began taking deep breaths. The first character that popped into my mind was the women who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair. In my mind I became that women continuing to stew in my self-pity. I suddenly imagined Jesus tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “let’s dance.” He took my hand guided me to my feet and we waltzed off into the heavens. I was suddenly back in my living room in my rocking chair, laughing at myself and my morose attitude.

I do not think of myself as a mystic. I do consider that I am an optimistic pragmatist which I suppose could be a contradiction in terms, but it is apt. I also cannot fathom what impact the direct contact the disciples had with Jesus. It was enough for a few diverse folks to change the world. We continue in that tradition today and through the mystery of the Spirit continue to be whisked off our feet when we need to be reminded of who it is, we serve just as Peter remembered that moment on the mountain. I do agree with Shakespeare.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. —Hamlet

Prayer: Lord, protect us from ourselves when we let the world become to much with us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Guard My Tongue

Living in the Spirit
July 3, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 7:15-25a 

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. — Romans 7:15-18

What is maddening to me is that I know that making the response that pops into my mind will not help the situation at all and will most likely make it worse. I know that, but the comment that has irritated me seems to develop a life of its own. I must volley my bullets of words back at it to what—Make me feel better, give me the upper hand, make me whole? It never works. I always feel worse afterward. God provides a scripture lesson for this experience it is in the first chapter of James chapter 1 verse 26: If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.

We must work every day at staying in synch with God. Whether we spend time in prayer, meditation, study, worship, or solitude, we must make sure that our source of wholeness is God not the lesser gods of self-righteousness or self-control. Paul uses the analogy of an athlete to describe our life in Christ. Athletes work out on a planned schedule, intensively practice their sport, eat food that supports their bodies, and get appropriate rest. They do these things so that when on the field of play their bodies and their minds are so well tuned that their instinctive responses are most often right. Actually some highly skilled athletes mess up the most when they do not have faith in their preparation.

We do have a Savior and an Advocate who run the race with us every step of the way. We just have to get out of ourselves enough to notice that he is there.

Prayer: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
              be acceptable to you,
             O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.(Psalm 19:14) Amen

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.