Meditation

Light and Truth

O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Psalm 43:3
Psalm 43:3

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breathe you can begin to clear your mind.–

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Truth”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “Light”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.–

Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
    against an ungodly people;
from those who are deceitful and unjust
    deliver me!
For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
    why have you cast me off?
Why must I walk about mournfully
    because of the oppression of the enemy?

O send out your light and your truth;
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
    and to your dwelling.
Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God my exceeding joy;
and I will praise you with the harp,
    O God, my God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my help and my God.

Psalm 43

There are so many times that I do not feel as if I truly know the light and truth of God. If I do not know them how can they guide me? At times, I have too much going on in my life to calm down enough to really hear from God. There are other times I am just too tired to stay awake let alone hear from God. The psalmist is not asking us to do anything to receive the truth and light of God. It is asking God to send it to us in the midst of our confusion. I know there are times God has done this for me. I am always shocked when clarity comes in the midst of confusion, business or depression.

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus also describes himself as the light of the world (John 8:12). God’s truth and light came down to the earth through Jesus. He came into this world at a time when he was needed most. When he came to earth people were looking for salvation from the Roman armies and their lives of oppression. It was a time of oppression and confusion. This gives me hope that God is able to reach down and teach me truth and light even when I am not sure I know where to look for them.

I am able to see my way through confusion when I take the time to meditate on the word of God.

  • Read the psalm slowly.
  • What phrase stands out to you?
  • Take 5 minutes to think about what God is telling you through this phrase.

-Please take a moment to do this exercise. –

  • Sunset
  • Pelicans
  • Sunset

God of truth and light, I pray that you will bring truth and light into the world. Please help the world to see your truth, and bring you light to shine in the darkness that seems to surround us at times. I also pray for your light and truth to be known into our hearts so they can lead each of us. There are times we are confused, to busy, depressed or just not sure what way to go, please bring your truth and light into these times so we can be led by your Spirit. Thank you for coming into our confusion and showing us your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Be Still and Know God

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you can begin to clear your mind.–

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Be”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “Still”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.–

Psalm 46:10

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
    though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
    God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord;
    see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I am exalted among the nations,
    I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Psalm 46

“Be still and know that I am God!” WOW!! This is a hard thing, and yet when I take the time to be still and know who God is my mind seems to work better. This is the message I needed this week. The message to remember to take time to see God in the world around me. The message to take a moment of silence so I can truly hear from God.

The psalm talks about earthquakes, floods, war, and other chaos going on around the earth. This is what our world has become. There is chaos all around us. The reminder to be still and know God is most important in the midst of chaos. When my world is falling apart around me one of the hardest things for me to do is to be still, and yet this is the very thing that helps me to calm the chaos in my soul and mind.

Taking a moment is not always easy. It is not what I hear from others as being important. I hear that it is important to stay busy, to keep working, to find things to do. I have taken this message to heart. Even though the world around me has slowed down I find myself looking for distractions that will keep me busy. The reminder to be still and know God is more important than ever in the midst of the distraction I am creating for myself.

  • Take a walk
  • Take some time meditating on this Psalm
  • Take some time and meditate on your favorite scripture or poem

-please take a moment to think about one of these activities.-

Take some deep breaths.

  • Breath in: “Be”
  • Breath out: “Still”

God of the moment, thank you for being with me in the midst of the storm; for being with me through the earthquake. Help me to continue to be still in your presence. Help me to continue to get to know who you are. Amen.

God Judges with Equity

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you can begin to clear your mind.–

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “God”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “will judge”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.–

Say among the nations, “The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.” Psalm 96:10

Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!
    The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
    He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the Lord; for he is coming,
    for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with his truth.

Psalm 96:10-13

Meditation

The psalmist is excited that God is coming to judge the earth. Who looks forward to judgment? I do not look forward to judgment unless I am not the person who is being judged. The only person I can think of who might happy about judgment is the person who has been judged wrongly, and knows God will see past the wrong judgments to judge with fairness. To be judged with equity is something we all hope for. Judging without prejudice: without preconceived notions of who a person is. This is what is being celebrated.

As human beings we are not always fair in our judgments. Even when we think we are being fair, we still use prejudices we have been taught to make our determinations. I know there are times I am shocked to realize prejudices I have are influencing how I think. There have been many times in my life when I look at someone and think something; then it strikes me my thinking is not as a result of knowing that person, but as a result of the way I was taught to think about people who look, act or live like that person.

I am so glad God does not look at me based on the way some people look at me. God is able to see what is in my heart: not just the way I look, act or live. Thinking about judgment this way, I can rejoice with the psalmist that God is coming to judge the world with equity.

  • Take some time to imagine what it will look like when God is judging the world.
  • Think about you last week. Have you judged others with equity?

-please take a moment to do one of these things. After meditating you might want to write your thoughts down.-

Prayer

God, you look down on this earth and see each of us where we are. You see our faults and our triumphs. You are able to look past the things people judge us on, and look into our hearts. Thank you for judging all of the earth with equity and fairness. Please help me to be able to judge the people around me with equity as well. Amen

The Good Shepherd

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you can begin to clear your mind.–

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Good”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “Shepherd”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.

Psalm 23:1-2

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
    he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
    I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff—
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.

Psalm 23

It is comforting to think of God as our shepherd. The psalm says God guides us to green pastures and still waters. God is there to help us find the food and water that we need to survive. There are many times in our lives we need someone to guide us in the right direction, or to a still quiet place. We can trust that God is there to help us through all of these things even helping us find peace in the darkest valley or a banquet when we are surrounded by our enemies.

This psalm reminds us that God is with us even in the darkest valley. God is walking along side us when we are at our worst, and when the world around us is at its worst. God is also preparing a banquet for us when we are surrounded by our enemies. When we do not have a friend to talk with God is there providing us a banquet to enjoy. God takes our worst moments and makes them into experiences we can look back on knowing we have grown to be better people through them. Our experiences do not change, but God helps us to see the good in the midst of it all.

In the gospel of John Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Jesus not only lays down his life for us, but he does everything God does in Psalm 23. A meaningful experience for me is to read the psalm and replace “he” with Jesus. I read the Psalm slowly, and meditate on each line. If you do not have time to read the whole Psalm like this, read as many lines as you have time for.

  • Read the Psalm slowly.
  • As you read the Psalm replace “he” with Jesus

-please take a moment to think about one of these questions. You might want to write your answers down.-

  • Mallard Ducks
  • Mallard Ducks
  • Mallard Ducks

Take some deep breaths.

  • Breath in: “Jesus”
  • Breath out: “my shepherd”

Good Shepherd, you have lead me to the food and water that I need to sustain my body and my soul. You walked with me in the darkest valley, and given me a banquet when I am surrounded by enemies. Thank you for being my friend, guide and Lord. Amen.

Restore Us

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you can begin to clear your mind.

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Restore us”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “Oh God”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. Psalm 80:3

Restore us, O God;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved.

O Lord God of hosts,
    how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
    our enemies laugh among themselves.

Psalm 80:3-6

Restore us, Oh God. The first few times I read this I thought it said, “Restore me, O God.” Living in an individualistic society, many times I think of things as being personal. I struggle against this tendency, and when I realized I was reading I instead of we I could not believe myself. I struggle against this tendency because I know the culture that the bible was originally written in and to was a more communal society. There was more concern for the group and less concern for the individual.

That being said, I know of so many people who are struggling with setbacks this year. Some have been medical, some relational, and others financial. This has been a rough year for many people, but it has also been a rough year for the world as a whole. This psalm can be prayed for many individuals in our world, and it can be prayed for the world as a whole.

Last week I went to a drive-in prayer meeting. The focus verse for the prayer meeting was 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Our land is hurting right now. All of the Earth is hurting right now. The Coronavirus has not just hit one nation, but the whole world. The prayer for restoration might begin as an individual prayer, it quickly moves to a prayer for our nation, and then a prayer for the whole earth.

  • What in your life needs restored?
  • What needs to be restored in your community?
  • What needs to be restored in the world?

-please take a moment to do one of these questions.-

Restoring God, we pray that you will bring restoration to what has been lost. Reach down and heal our land. Heal our hearts and our souls. We seek your restoration, and ask your help in teaching us how to help bring restoration. Thank you for your restoration of our lives, our community, and our world. Amen

Teach me to Pray

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you can begin to clear your mind.–

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Teach me”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “to pray”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.

Psalm 25:16

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
    do not let me be put to shame;
    do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
    let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all day long.

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
    for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

For your name’s sake, O Lord,
    pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who are they that fear the Lord?
    He will teach them the way that they should choose.

They will abide in prosperity,
    and their children shall possess the land.
The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
    and he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
    and bring me out of my distress.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.
O guard my life, and deliver me;
    do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you.

Redeem Israel, O God,
    out of all its troubles.

Psalm 25

I have heard of the Psalms as being songs of praise. Some of them are songs of praise, but others like this one seem to be something different. Bonhoeffer talked about the Psalms as being a prayer book. I think this is a better description of the Psalms. I have been reading the Psalms to help me get a deeper understanding of prayer. Prayer is something I was taught as a child, and yet I feel I am always learning more about how to communicate with God.

Psalm 25 is a different prayer than I have ever heard prayed, and yet it is a prayer I have prayed. Even if my prayer was only in my heart. This seems to be a prayer given by a person who is struggling with life. The Psalmist asks God to turn to them because they are lonely and afflicted (Psalm 25:16). There are many in our world today that are lonely. We are isolating because of covid-19, and this has increased the loneliness of many. This Psalm is a prayer for today!

This might be a prayer for today, but I hesitate to remind God of anything. I feel that I don’t need to ask God to be mindful of mercy and love (Psalm 25:6), and yet this is what the Psalmist does. I can learn from the Psalmist that God is willing to listen even when I doubt who God is. This is comforting, but also very challenging. And yet, it reminds me that even when I am suffering from loneliness God is there with me in the midst of my loneliness to comfort and protect me.

  • Are you in a time of loneliness? Imagine God setting beside you.
  • Take the time to tell God exactly how you feel right now.
  • Write out a prayer that includes all of your doubts and fears.

-please take a moment to do one of these activities.-

Take some deep breaths.

  • Breath in: “Teach me”
  • Breath out: “to pray”

God of mercy, thank you for being gracious to me even when I fail. Thank you for being with me even when I feel alone. Thank you for accepting me when I do not feel acceptable. Thank you God for all of your great gifts given to me. Amen.

God’s Character

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you can begin to clear your mind.

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Grace”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “Mercy”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love Psalm 145:8

I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you,
    and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
    his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall laud your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
    and I will declare your greatness.
They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Psalm 145:1-8

On Mount Sinai “The Lord passed before him (Moses), and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). There was a time in my life I begun a search to understand God better. Through this search, I was lead to this passage in Exodus. When I read Psalm 145 I was struck by how similar verse 8 is to the Exodus passage. It reads. “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 145:8).

This verse comes after several verses that talk about worshiping God. The Psalmist uses words like extol, bless, praise, etc. to explain worship of God. Then comes the description God used when passing in front of Moses. The psalmist worshiped God because of the mercy and grace of the Lord!

When I am struggling with life, whatever part of life I find difficult at the time, I remind myself that God is loving and compassionate. That God is there with me in the midst of what is happening. This gives me a sense of awe. It gives me a heart that cries out to God in worship. The psalm, on the other hand, starts with the praise, and then give the reason for the praise, God’s character. There are times I can start with praise, and then remind myself of who God is. Other times I have to start with reminding myself of God’s character. Then come to worship and praise. It does not matter how we start to worship God. The important thing is God’s character of grace, mercy and slow to anger. These are characteristics that do not change.

  • What keeps you going?
  • What do you have to be thankful for?
  • Why do you worship God?

-please take a moment to think about one of these questions. You might want to write your answers down.-

  • Tumwater Falls
  • Rattlesnake Ledge
  • Porter Falls

Take some deep breaths.

  • Breath in: “Mercy”
  • Breath out: “Grace”

God of grace and mercy, we praise you for being there with us, and for being slow to be angry when we make mistakes. Continue to show us your grace and mercy. Continue to forgive us when we fail. Amen.

Forgiven

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you begin to clear your mind.

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “I am”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “Forgiven”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
    so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.

Psalm 103:8-13

As I walk on the sand at the beach I am amazed at how the wind and water erase all traces of activity. The wind blows over the foot prints whether they are human, bird, dog, deer, vehicle or something else. All that is left are ripples in the sand. In the same way the water rises, and washes away all trace of what was on the sand before it. This reminds me of the working of the Spirit in our lives. (Jesus compared the Spirit of God to the wind in John chapter 3 verse 8.) The wind blowing away all traces of what has gone before is a reminder for me of God removing my sin, mistakes, and transgressions. They have been removed like the wind blowing over the sand.

There are some mistakes that I tend to dwell on. They are the ones I cannot forget or even at times forgive. Walking on the beach and watching the waves, helps me remember these mistakes, sins, and transgressions are forgiven. I practice watching the wind and waves just to remind myself how forgiven I am.

-please take a moment to do one of the things listed below.-

  • Try taking a walk in the sand or by water.
  • Visualize your sins, mistakes, or transgressions being washed out to sea.
  • Visualize your sins, mistakes, or transgressions being blown away with the wind.

Take some deep breaths.

  • Breath in: “I am”
  • Breath out: “Forgiven”

Forgiving God, we are so blessed to have your forgiveness. Help us to receive your forgiveness when we have trouble receiving your free gift of forgiveness. Remind us that you are with us throughout our lives, and walk alongside us in our journey. Amen

Teach me O Lord

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath begin to clear your mind.

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Teach me”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “O Lord”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.

Psalm 119:33

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
    and I will observe it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
    for I delight in it.
Turn my heart to your decrees,
    and not to selfish gain.
Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
    give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise,
    which is for those who fear you.
Turn away the disgrace that I dread,
    for your ordinances are good.
See, I have longed for your precepts;
    in your righteousness give me life.

Psalm 119:33-40

Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the longest book in the bible. This psalm is an acrostic. Each stanza is dedicated to a letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and every line in the stanza begins with this letter. This stanza that we read today is dedicated to ה He. The psalm is dedicated to the law of God or the Torah. Every line has a references to the Torah in one way or another. In many ways it is a love poem to the Torah.

The portion of the psalm we read today is asking God to teach us God’s laws. The law of God is not just the “Ten Commandments”, but about how to live in harmony with God, humanity and nature. Asking God to teach us God’s statutes, commandments, and decrees is something that will help us throughout our lives. We never stop learning the ways of God.

Teach me O Lord can be a dangerous prayer as well. It can be like praying for patience. The end result of the prayer is not instantaneous understanding, but life experiences that help us better understand who God is and the best ways to act with God and one another. God’s law is based on God’s character, and learning more about who God is helps us to live out the law of God.

-please take a moment to think about one of these questions. You might want to write your answers down.-

  • What is God teaching you?
  • What is one experience you have learned from?
  • Are you open to learning more about who God is?
  • Psalm 119

Take some deep breaths.

  • Breath in: “Teach me”
  • Breath out: “O Lord”

God my teacher and guide, thank you for being with me throughout my life, and teaching me more about who you are. You are a good teacher and guide; I pray that you help me to continue to understand your ways better and better. Please help me to be a good learner of your laws and character. Amen.

Jesus Goes Before Us

–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath you can begin to clear your mind.

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “Jesus”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “Is with me”

-continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”

Matthew 16:24-26

In Roman times, when Jesus was on the Earth, the cross was not something a person would willingly carry. It was forced on them. The soldiers would make someone carry their own cross, and that person knew at the end of the road they would be nailed to that cross to die. They were forced to bring what was going to kill them to the place of their death.

Jesus told them to be his disciples they must be willing to “take up their cross and follow him (me).” Jesus did not ask them to take up their cross and go to their death without him. Jesus was going before them into the unknown. Jesus was not like a Roman soldier who forced the prisoner to carry their cross. Jesus gave them a choice, and showed them the path to follow.

Like the Roman prisoners, our burden is forced upon us at times. It can be health issues, relationship problems, concern for someone we love, or much more. Jesus promises that he has went before us. Jesus does not ask us to carry a cross that he has not already bore. What a wonderful promise!!

There are other times our burden is something God is asking of us. It could be to give something up, to take on a new challenge, or something different. God does ask us to do things that are hard for us to imagine, but we know it is what God has called us to do.

  • What is God calling you to do?
  • What cross is forced upon you?
  • Envision Jesus walking before you. Leading the way.

-Pick one of the options above. You might want to journal a response, or just sit and soak in the presence of God-

– Take some deep breaths-

  • Breath in: “Jesus lead me”
  • Breath out: “I will follow”

Jesus, thank you for going before us into the unknown. There is uncertainty all around us, and we are glad you are with us through it all. Continue to lead us on the path that you would have us to take. Amen