19 When it was evening on the first day of the week, Jesus' followers were together. The doors were locked, because they were afraid of the elders. Then Jesus came and stood right in the middle of them and said, "Peace be with you." 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. His followers were thrilled when they saw the Lord. 21 Then Jesus said again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, I now send you." 22 After he said this, he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven. If you don't forgive them, they are not forgiven." (John 20:19-23, New Century Version)
Most of us knows what CPR is. It is a life saving technique whereby one person puts their mouth over an unconscious person forcing air into their lungs. The hope is that this along with chest compressions a person will be revived so that they will avoid death. In Greek, the work for breath and spirit are the same! Hence, Jesus is breathing on us and pouring into us his life giving spirit.
Here is a meditation based on the above Scripture. Sit with your eyes closed. Imagine Jesus before you. Inhale deeply. As you inhale, let Him speak these words to you. Peace be with you.
Now exhale. Let your stale self-made air escape. Inhale again hearing the words, Peace be with you. Repeat this for several minutes until you feel relaxed, at peace.
Jesus provides us with His peace, that passes all understanding. But we must let go of ourselves so that He may breath new life into us!
PONDERING WITH THE PADRE: This is a place where I, when inspired by the Holy Spirit, can sow seeds to help each and everyone of us grow as true Christians. I believe God is Lord of all of His creation. All we can do is seek His will for our lives. We cannot please God by our own good works. The fruits of our faith are fruits of repentance, of a new heart!
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Good Friday, The Last Word "Father, I commend my Spirit"
Luke 23:46-49
And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Into you hands I commit my spirit. The last word, it’s now over. Jesus’ last word is the beginning of His Resurrection. After all, He has to die to rise to new life. It may be three days from now. But He is putting all of His trust into the hands of His Father. He has given up the ghost. All Jesus has is His Father’s mercy.
Into your hands I commit my spirit. Jesus last word. Should it not be our first word. How often do we trust in ourselves over and above trusting in our Father in Heaven. Should not this word, be our morning prayer. Having passed through the night in safety upon our arising out of bed, should we not acknowledge our life is not our own, and say to God, Father, into you hands I commit my spirit. After all, our spirit belongs to God. Our breath belongs to God. The air I breath belongs to God. Our life is God’s to begin with. So, should I not acknowledge it, and begin each waking day with, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit?
Bono, the lead singer of the rock band, U2 once said, “A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. In countless ways, large and small, I was always seeking the Lord's blessing. I was saying, you know, I have a new song, look after it... I have a family, please look after them... I have this crazy idea...And this wise man said: stop.He said, stop asking God to bless what you're doing.Get involved in what God is doing — because it's already blessed.”
Today as we leave this place hearing Jesus’ last words, Let us commit ourselves back to God. After all, God and His work are already blessed.
And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Into you hands I commit my spirit. The last word, it’s now over. Jesus’ last word is the beginning of His Resurrection. After all, He has to die to rise to new life. It may be three days from now. But He is putting all of His trust into the hands of His Father. He has given up the ghost. All Jesus has is His Father’s mercy.
Into your hands I commit my spirit. Jesus last word. Should it not be our first word. How often do we trust in ourselves over and above trusting in our Father in Heaven. Should not this word, be our morning prayer. Having passed through the night in safety upon our arising out of bed, should we not acknowledge our life is not our own, and say to God, Father, into you hands I commit my spirit. After all, our spirit belongs to God. Our breath belongs to God. The air I breath belongs to God. Our life is God’s to begin with. So, should I not acknowledge it, and begin each waking day with, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit?
Bono, the lead singer of the rock band, U2 once said, “A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. In countless ways, large and small, I was always seeking the Lord's blessing. I was saying, you know, I have a new song, look after it... I have a family, please look after them... I have this crazy idea...And this wise man said: stop.He said, stop asking God to bless what you're doing.Get involved in what God is doing — because it's already blessed.”
Today as we leave this place hearing Jesus’ last words, Let us commit ourselves back to God. After all, God and His work are already blessed.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Immediacy of Giving Thanks
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT)
St. Paul did not equivocate when it came to being thankful. But how can we be thankful in all circumstances? How can we be joyful? Are not my feelings beyond my control? Think of the last time someone pulled out in front of you in traffic? How can I be thankful if I have just been laid off from work? I have a family to feed, bills to pay, etc. These are big picture items that consume much of our lives. But we get lost in the big picture because we do not know where we are to begin with.
Where we are at this very present moment is where we are. The past has happened and we must let go of any regrets. The future has yet to come and so there is no need to be anxious. Jesus said this to us in His Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 6:34) But the truth of His Word needs to be experienced. This journey begins with the immediate NOW! This is where God is and where we must be to be covered by His Word!
Find a quiet place so that you may "be still and know the Lord". (Psalm 46:10) Take a simple object into your hand or look upon something like a flower. It can be something mundane like a coffee cup. Focus on the coffee cup. Feel the texture. How does it feel? Look at the design. How would you describe the design? Be slow and deliberate. Now think of the journey that coffee cup made from the designers to the engineers to the marketplace all the way into your hands now! Do not gloss over any detail. Now speak to God in Heaven giving thanks for all these things that make up the mundane coffee cup. Identify the joy that you find in this coffee cup. Thank God again for what He has shown you to be thankful in this very moment. You will notice the past was of no consequence in this moment and there was so much presence in the coffee cup that tomorrow had no demand on you. Practice this exercise daily and several times a day wherever you are. By doing so you will catch up to God where He is, in the present moment. For it is this moment, the present, that is the only circumstance at hand! Everything else will become inconsequential!
St. Paul did not equivocate when it came to being thankful. But how can we be thankful in all circumstances? How can we be joyful? Are not my feelings beyond my control? Think of the last time someone pulled out in front of you in traffic? How can I be thankful if I have just been laid off from work? I have a family to feed, bills to pay, etc. These are big picture items that consume much of our lives. But we get lost in the big picture because we do not know where we are to begin with.
Where we are at this very present moment is where we are. The past has happened and we must let go of any regrets. The future has yet to come and so there is no need to be anxious. Jesus said this to us in His Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 6:34) But the truth of His Word needs to be experienced. This journey begins with the immediate NOW! This is where God is and where we must be to be covered by His Word!
Find a quiet place so that you may "be still and know the Lord". (Psalm 46:10) Take a simple object into your hand or look upon something like a flower. It can be something mundane like a coffee cup. Focus on the coffee cup. Feel the texture. How does it feel? Look at the design. How would you describe the design? Be slow and deliberate. Now think of the journey that coffee cup made from the designers to the engineers to the marketplace all the way into your hands now! Do not gloss over any detail. Now speak to God in Heaven giving thanks for all these things that make up the mundane coffee cup. Identify the joy that you find in this coffee cup. Thank God again for what He has shown you to be thankful in this very moment. You will notice the past was of no consequence in this moment and there was so much presence in the coffee cup that tomorrow had no demand on you. Practice this exercise daily and several times a day wherever you are. By doing so you will catch up to God where He is, in the present moment. For it is this moment, the present, that is the only circumstance at hand! Everything else will become inconsequential!
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