meditation

Seeing God in Nature

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

  • Breathe in: Seeing
  • Breathe out: God

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

For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12
Isaiah 55:12

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy,
    and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall burst into song,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
    for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 55:10-13

Seeing God in Nature

When I see a beautiful sunset after a hard day,
I remember God is with me in the hard times as well as the good times.

When I see a rainbow,
I remember of God’s promises.

When I see the ocean,
I am in awe of the majesty of God.

When I see the birds on the beach,
I remember the diversity of God’s creation.

When I see the trees swaying in the wind,
I remember to praise God.

When I see the mountains,
I remember God is in control.

When I see the rain,
I remember my mistakes are washed away.

When I see the snow,
I remember God can cover all sin.

  • What would you add to this list?
  • Where do you see God?
  • What part of nature helps you to understand God?

-Please take a moment.-

  • Breathe in: Seeing
  • Breathe out: God

Creator, thank you for all you have created. When I look at the world around me, I remember your love and care. You have made a beautifully diverse world, and I am privileged to be part of it. Please help me to continue to see your character in all of nature.

Relationships

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

  • Breathe in: relation
  • Breathe out: ships

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

Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
1 Peter 4:8

The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:7-11

For the next several weeks, I plan to ask myself this question: Where am I seeing God? Lately I have been seeing God in and through my relationships. Relationships are important, and they are what help me to stay in a good frame of mind. As I think about my relationships, there are two examples in the past week where God has shown up. I am sure you will be able to relate to them.

When I think of a person, I try to make contact with them. Lately I have been thinking about an ex-roommate. I texted her, and we had a great conversation. Our short conversation reminded both of us that God is at work in the world. It was great to catch up with her. God brought her to my mind, and I took the next step to contact her. This is one way God is in our relationships.

The other circumstance that comes to mind is the result of an accidental phone call. I was getting ready to leave work. I went to call my husband to tell him I was on my way home, and ask if he needed anything from the store. The person who answered was not my husband. I was shocked! The voice on the other end was that of the husband of a friend. He informed me it was his wife’s birthday, so he gave her the phone. I wished her a happy birthday, and we caught up a little. This beautiful moment would not have happened if not for the mistake of calling the wrong person. God was there helping me to connect even when I was not thinking of connecting.

God is with us in our relationships.
God helps us maintain our relationships.
God reminds us of the importance of relationships.

  • Where are you seeing God?
  • How are your relationships?
  • Who should you connect with today?

-Please take a moment.-

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breathe in: relation
  • Breathe out: ships

God of relationship, thank you for reminding us of the importance of relationships. Thank you for being there to help us maintain our relationships. Thank you for being in relationship with us. Amen

Restoration

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

  • Breathe in: Restore
  • Breathe out: Me

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

through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:20
Colossians 1:20

[God] has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Colossians 1:13-20

As I think about this New Year, I think about my need to be restored. As a result, restoration has become my word for 2021. I know I am not the only one who feels the need for restoration.

As I have thought about my restoration, I remembered that Jesus came to the world to restore humanities relationship with God. As Colossians 1:20 says, “through [Jesus] God was pleased to reconcile to [God’s self] all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.” My reconciliation to God comes through Jesus’ blood. Jesus is my restoration.

Jesus came to this earth to be our mediator.
Jesus came to this earth to help us see God.
Jesus came to this earth to show us God.
Jesus came to this earth so we can know God.

  • Where is your restoration?
  • What is your word for the New Year?

-Please take a moment.-

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breathe in: Restore
  • Breathe out: Me

God of restoration, thank you for taking the time to reveal yourself to us through your son Jesus Christ. I pray that your restoration will be with us throughout the New Year, and that we can feel a true restoration of all that has been lost. Amen

Peace on Earth

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

  • Breathe in: Peace
  • Breathe out: On Earth

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

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13-14

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Luke 2:8-20 AKJV

“On earth peace, good will toward men.” This is the greeting the angels gave the shepherds as they were in the field watching their sheep. We want peace on earth, and in our own lives. Both of these forms of peace do not come easily. It takes work to have peace. Sometimes it takes more work to have peace than to have chaos.  

I have found that when I catch my heart racing, or find myself worrying about things I cannot control it is time for me to stop, take a few deep breaths, and relax. This is my answer to Psalm 46, which says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

In between the breaths, I can find God.
In between the breaths, I can find my calm.
In between the breaths, my heart begins to stop racing.

  • Try taking some deep breaths when you are feeling anxious.
  • Take a moment to be still with God.

-Please take a moment.-

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breathe in: Peace
  • Breathe out: On Earth

God of peace, thank you for being with me in my anxious moments. Thank you for reminding me that I need to breath during these times. Thank you for being with me in between my breathing. Amen

Micro Joys

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

  • Breathe in: Little
  • Breathe out: Joys

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

May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves. Psalm 126:5-6
Psalm 126:5-6

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
    and we rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
   reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 126

Our joys this year seem to be smaller than in years past. So much is happening that finding joy in the midst has become hard. Even those things that are great joys, like births, weddings, celebrations, etc., seem not to be as big as they used to. This is why I have begun to look for the little joys in my life. Those joys I do not always recognize.

As I walked on the beach last week, the sun was out, and the sand was smooth. I looked down, and saw what looked like sparkles. I began to think about these sparkles, and realized they are always there. Even when I do not see them, because the sun is not out. The only reason I could see them, at that moment, was because the sun shone and was reflected back to me by small particles that are in the sand. I began to think of the sparkles as points of joy. I came to realize two things about joy in my life.

There are sparks of joy throughout my life. Just as the sparkles in the sand though small were scattered all over the beach. Joy is everywhere, and at times it becomes common place. I the importance of recognizing the joy that is all around me.

The other thing I realized is that joy is always in my life. Just like the sparkles in the sand that are there even when the sun is not shining. Joy is in my life even when I do not see it. Micro joys are popping up all around me. They are still there even on the dark days.

  • What joys are in your life?
  • What are the micro joys?

-Please take a moment.-

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breathe in: Little
  • Breathe out: Joys

Loving God, thank you for all of the joy in my life. Help me to be more open to seeing the micro joys. Help me to remember that joy is all around me. Thank you God for all of the joy in my life. Amen

God is Faithful

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

  • Breathe in: Peace
  • Breathe out: Faithfulness

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

Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. Psalm 85:11
Psalm 85:11

Lord, you were favorable to your land;
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you pardoned all their sin.Selah
You withdrew all your wrath;
    you turned from your hot anger.

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
    so that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people,
    to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
    that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
    righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
    and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
    and will make a path for his steps.

Psalm 85

I know God is working in each of us to bring us to be righteous. I know this because I have seen it in my own life. I used to work to become a righteous person, a better human. I worked to be the person I believed God wanted me to be. It was not until I came to a time in my life that I was too tired to work any longer. All I could do was live one day at a time. Looking back at this time, I realize God was able to bring about more change than I had been able to bring about in all my striving to be righteous. The change came not because of what I was doing, but because I finally let go and let God have control. This is the faithfulness of God. God is faithful to bring about the changes in our lives that need to happen. These changes happen when we stop striving to become something. When I stopped my striving to become a better person, and let God do the work in me, I became more like the person I wanted to be, and I was able to find a peace inside me that I did not know was there. This peace has been there to support and keep me through all life has put in my path.

God will speak peace to the faithful. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground. God is faithful. You can trust God to give you salvation. You can trust God to give you the gift of peace. There might not be peace in you right now. There might not be peace in the world around you right now. The peace God gives helps us to remain calm in the midst of struggle. We can trust God to give us what we need at the time of need. This trust or faith is what we need to continue to live a life that leads to peace, and embraces peace.

  • Are you letting God work in your life?
  • Where do you see God at this moment?

-Please take a moment.-

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breathe in: Faithfulness
  • Breathe out: Peace

God of peace, thank you for bringing me to the point where you can do the work in me that needed to happen. I pray that we will guide and keep each person reading this in you loving embrace. I pray you will guide them into a life of peace. Amen

Hope

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

  • Breathe in: Love
  • Breathe out: Hope

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

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22
Photo taken by Audrey Atchley

The Lord looks down from heaven;
    he sees all humankind.
From where he sits enthroned he watches
    all the inhabitants of the earth—
he who fashions the hearts of them all,
    and observes all their deeds.
A king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
    and by its great might it cannot save.

Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
    on those who hope in his steadfast love,
to deliver their soul from death,
    and to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
    he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him,
    because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.

Psalm 33:13-22

Our hope is in the Lord. The king’s army does not save him; the warrior is not delivered through his strength; our hope of victory is not in the warhorse. Only the Lord can truly save us. Like the king or warrior, we might look to things or people to bring about change, a new beginning, healing, etc. The things and people we look to are not always what will save us. God is the one who brings about salvation, even when that salvation comes through tangible things. God is always there to bring about salvation.

We can hope in the love of God. This love is what brings us through all the struggles of life. It has God walking beside us in the midst of our valleys. The love of God is carrying us through our darkest times. Our hope is in the love of God!!

  • What are you hoping for?
  • Visualize God setting with you waiting for the solution.
  • Visualize God bringing the solution that is needed.

-Please take a moment.-

Photos taken by Audrey Atchley

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breathe in: Hope
  • Breathe out: Love

Loving God, thank you for being with us in the midst of our darkest valleys. Thank you for loving us through the hard times that we face. Thank you for setting beside us when we feel like there is no hope. Thank you for loving, caring, and being with us. Amen.

Rest in the Midst of Chaos

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

  • Breath in: Stillness
  • Breath out: All Anxiety

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

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Psalm 95:7a
Psalm 95:7a

O come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
    and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

O come, let us worship and bow down,
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice!
    Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
    as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your ancestors tested me,
    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation
    and said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray,
    and they do not regard my ways.”
Therefore in my anger I swore,
    “They shall not enter my rest.”

Psalm 95

When I am in a wilderness place in my mind, body or soul, I find that I have a hard time seeing the good in the world. I have a hard time listening to the voice of God. Even praising and worshiping God become difficult. I am at the place Israel was when they were at Meribah. It was here they questioned if God was still with them. It says about Meribah, “[Moses] called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” (Exodus 17:7)

When I am in these wilderness places, I am not able to enter into God’s rest because I am not even sure God is there with me. I question God’s love for me, and I am not sure God is looking out for my best interests. At times like this, I cannot enter into God’s rest because I am not able to find rest within myself. It is not that God has decided that I am not worthy of entering into God’s rest. It is that I am not able to enter the rest because there is no rest within my soul. At these times, I need to take a step back from the world, and quiet my soul. I need to “Be still, and know that [God is] God!” (Psalm 46:10)

I do this by taking a long walk, doing some yoga, reading a good book, or taking a some deep breathes. How do you still your mind and soul?

  • Take 10 minutes or whatever time you have to be still in the presence of God in whatever way works for you.

-Please take a moment.-

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breath in: Stillness
  • Breath out: All Anxiety

God of rest, thank you for giving us the rest we need. It is hard to be restful when everything around us seems to be in chaos. Help us to take a moment, calm our minds, and enter into your rest. Amen.

Let my good days be as many as my bad days.

Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Psalm 90:15

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

  • Breath in the good
  • Breath out the bad

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

Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Psalm 90:15
Psalm 90:15

So teach us to count our days
    that we may gain a wise heart.

Turn, O Lord! How long?
    Have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
    so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,
    and as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and prosper for us the work of our hands—
    O prosper the work of our hands!

Psalm 90:12-17

This psalm is attributed to Moses. When I read it, I cannot help but think about the many difficult times he had throughout his life. He was born at a time that all the male children were being killed by the Egyptians. He fled Egypt after he killed an Egyptian guard for abusing a fellow Israelite. He came back to Egypt, and led the Israelites out of slavery through the wilderness to the land of promise. While in the wilderness the Israelites were not always happy with their situation, and Moses became the mediator between them and God. There were some very low days for Moses, and in the psalm he prays that God will give him as many good days as bad days; as many good years as bad years.

I can pray this prayer for myself and for every person reading this. I pray that God will give us, as many good days as there have been bad days. I pray God will give us, as many good years as there have been bad years.

  • Take some time to think about the good things in your life.

-Please take a moment.-

-Take some deep breaths.-

  • Breath in: the good
  • Breath out: the bad

God of grace, give each of us, as many good days as there are bad days. Give each of us, as many good years as there are bad years. Keep us safe, and pick us up when we fall. Amen

Forgiveness

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

  • Breath in by saying or thinking “forgive”
  • Breath out by saying or thinking “me”

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

But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, o God! You are my help and my deliverer; o Lord, do not delay! Psalm 70:5

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let those be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life.
Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who desire to hurt me.
Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!”
    turn back because of their shame.

Let all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
    hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!

Psalm 70

I do not have people who are wishing me harm at this point in my life. There have been times I could list people who were seeking to do me harm. At times, if asked, I would list people as being my enemies, and yet these people were not as concerned about me as I thought they were. They were just trying to live their life in the midst of a tough situation. When I came to realize that those I think are doing me harm are really just trying to live their life in the best way they can, I began to think differently about who my enemy was. I do not see that many enemies in my life now. Instead, I see people who are struggling.

Jesus said to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Part of loving your enemies is offering them the grace that Christ has given you. By remembering that they have lives that are just as hard as yours are, sometimes even harder, we are able to give our enemies grace in the midst of a tough world.

  • Who are your enemies?
  • Take some time to put yourself in your enemies’ shoes.
  • What might be happening in their lives?

-You might want to write your response down.-

Forgiving God, thank you for your forgiveness, and please help me to forgive my enemies. God, it is hard to forgive those I do not like, and even harder to forgive those who do not like me. Please be with me as I strive to forgive. Oh Lord do not delay. Amen