When the Parties are Over

The day after Christmas has its own let-down effect. The parties are over, the gifts are unwrapped, the surprises revealed, the guests have gone home. Here's a meditation to keep your focus where it needs to be--on Christ.

Today's Scriptures focus on God's favor toward those who are humble. The angel's song proclaims peace, not for those who please God, but for those with whom God is pleased. This may seem like an insignificant difference, but the distinction here is important. The tense is passive, indicating not a person who earns God's pleasure, but someone who simply receives it. God's favor rests not on those who triumph by their mighty deeds, but on those who quietly trust in His love and grace.

Zachariah's prophecy about his son John reveals God's supremacy over all things, and the calling He gives to the humble. Zechariah was the last person that anyone would expect to become a father in his old age, yet God favored him with a son who would be called the greatest of all men. John's way of life would demonstrate his humility, yet God would use him to proclaim the Messiah. God still lifts up the humble today, and calls His servants from the ranks of the small, not the great.

The focus on Bethlehem reminds us not just of a small town that God exalted, but that God continuously lifts up the humble. Bethlehem had an inferiority complex. It thought itself to be the least in Judah. But God had bigger and better plans for Bethlehem than its residents could imagine. In the same way, we tend to have a lower estimation of ourselves than God has. If we could see ourselves through God's eyes then we would realize that His purpose for us goes far beyond our wildest imaginations.

Simeon's song mentions that Christ came as a light of revelation for the Gentiles, before he says that Jesus came as the glory of His own people Israel. This reverse order indicates the favor God shows to those who we would normally count as the least. Even the fact that God choose Simeon, a man who was old and long past his prime, to deliver this message, shows the Lord's favor and leading on "the least of these."

Maybe you're feeling small, insignificant, or used up on this day after Christmas. Let God's word remind you that the Lord has a plan of blessing for you, too.  Let it fill you with the peace, live, hope, and joy of Christ.


A MEDITATION WITH ECUMENICAL PRAYER BEADS:
(Click here to get your own)

Invitatory - Luke 1:68-79
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
 in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
 in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Cruciform - Luke 2:14
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
 and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Weeks - Matthew 2:6
6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel. ’”

Benedictory - Luke 2:29-32
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
 according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”


*Scriptures taken from the ESV

A Christmas Meditation

Lights, decorations, gifts, parties, lavish foods, carols-- Christmas offers so much that overwhelm the senses. Yet the inner feast is so much greater than the one upon the table.  The glorious mysteries of Christmas fill the contemplative soul with wonder at the birthday of the babe.  They also bring to light the cosmic Christ, and usher His reign into the heart of the believer who meditates on these mysteries.

The mystery of the Incarnation, the wonder of submission to God's surprising will--these are the things that fill the heart of the one who celebrates a quiet Christmas. Many will observe this holiday alone. Whether it's from the confines of a prison cell or a nursing home bed, or perhaps in a solitary home where no family or friends gather. Yet, while alone, the contemplative soul is not lonely on Christmas if they spend the time reflecting on the glory of God in the mysteries of the season.

As you do this meditation, you will become aware that Mary isn't alone in being impregnated with the Christ. "The pure in heart will see God" means that all of virginal spirit may bear the Lord inside them, may bring to life His glorious light.  Seek God's purity in your own heart, and you too can host the Savior in the womb of your heart.

Today you may be alone, in which case you have plenty of time to meditate. Or, your schedule may be filled with visits and festivities.  If that's so then it may be even more important to observe some quiet time. Remember that favorite Christmas carol "Silent Night." Take the time to be alone and silent before God this Christmas. Soak in His mysteries. Bask in His glory.

A MEDITATION WITH ECUMENICAL PRAYER BEADS:
(Click here to get your own)

Invitatory - Luk 1:46-50
... “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.

Cruciform - Luk 1:37
For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Weeks - Mat 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).

Benedictory - Luk 1:38
 ...“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”



*Scriptures taken from the ESV.

God With Us

During this time of year, one of my favorite things is to attend a musical concert featuring Handel's Messiah. I love the majesty and meaning of the music that declares that "He shall reign forever and ever."  Within this elaborate work of musical art, we find five names of the Messiah that are worthy of reflection and meditation. Those names are deeply meaningful, and contemplating them makes us aware that indeed, God is with us."

The first is from Matthew 1:23. The ESV renders this as:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).

Everybody needs to be reminded that God is with us. At times, when the troubles of life threaten our well-being, we need to feel God's presence and care.

The other for names of God come from Isaiah 9:6 (ESV):

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
 and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

These names emphasize God's wisdom, power, intimate love, and authority to work peace in our lives. Using the Christian meditation beads, I suggest the following:

A MEDITATION WITH ECUMENICAL PRAYER BEADS
(Click here to get your own)

CROSS: The Lord's Prayer

INVITATORY:  Matthew 1:22

CRUCIFORMS:  Simply say the name "Immanuel." If you want, you could breathe slowly and steadily, dividing out the syllables by pronouncing only one syllable per breath. This means that the whole name would take for breaths to say, "Im-man-u-el." Feel the presence of God with you, so that the name itself becomes God's resonance within your spirit.

WEEK 1: "Wonderful Counselor"
WEEK 2: "Mighty God"
WEEK 3: "Everlasting Father"
WEEK 4: "Prince of Peace"

BENEDICTORY: Isaiah 9:6

CROSS: Lord's Prayer

Restored Relationship Through the Mind of Christ

If you're anything like me (or like any other human being, for that matter), you have relationships.  From time to time, these relationships can become strained.  Whether you're struggling in your marriage, friendship, relationship with a co-worker or someone in your church, or other family member, there is hope.  In Philippians 2:1, Paul appeals for the restoration of relationships that may have been damaged due to lack of encouragement, too little participation in the Spirit, not enough comfort from love, or a deficit of affection or sympathy for one another.  With one word, 'ANY,' Paul points out that there's hope for these kinds of relationships.  "If there's ANY encouragement in Christ, ANY comfort from love, ANY participation in the Spirit, ANY affection and sympathy..." then there's joyful hope for that relationship.  

In verse 2, Paul continues to tell how it can be restored.  "Being of the same mind" does not mean agreeing on everything.  Instead, it means deciding to be unified, despite your differences.  One example of this is that our children know not to pit my wife and me against each other.  If they want something and one of us says no, then even if the other one would give a "yes," the answer is still "no."  One yes and one no equals no--and we mean it.  We decided long ago to present a united front to our kids, so that they know that even if we disagree on something, we'll agree to agree for their sake. "Being of the same mind," says Paul.  The Greek word here translated "mind" comes from the word meaning "diaphram," an inner mechanism for regulating breath.  It has to do with an inner working that has an outward dynamic.  You could say that for two people to have the same diaphragm means that one is the inhale and the other is the exhale, and that working together they keep the body alive.

"Having the same love" does not mean that you love or value the same things.  Instead, the word "love" that's used here is agape, which speaks of unconditional perfect love.  If both people have the same unconditional love for one another, then they learn how to look past their differences in values.  They cherish one another more than they cherish their own opinions or their own need to be right.

When Paul says, "Being in full accord and of one mind," it may sound like he's just being redundant--in fact, the Greek word here rendered as "full accord" is the same as "same mind" above.  But Paul adds "of one mind" to the mix.  The actual word is sympsychoi, which means "same-soul."  Genesis 2.24 says that husband and wife will become "one flesh," but here the expectation is stepped up a notch.  We go from one flesh to one soul--and not just for husband and wife but for all believers.  In this we realize that the good I do for someone else I also do for myself.  In the same way, I harm myself when I harm someone else who is made in God's image.  To be of the same soul means that I would not dream of hurting the other person unless I want to do irreparable damage to my own soul as well.

In verses 3-4 Paul says, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. "  This is not the kind of humiliation that comes from low self-esteem, that puts other people first because it believes itself worthless.  Instead, it's the kind of humility that Jesus demonstrated when He washed the disciples' feet.  It's the sort of humility that He showed when He left the glory of Heaven to serve humanity.  When we put other people's needs ahead of our own, we're not saying that they are better than we are, but that we'd rather take care of them than ourselves.  By doing this, we give godlike love, which can't help but be reciprocated.

This may all sound like an impossible task for anyone.  It certainly would be, were it not for what we find in verse 5--we have the mind of Christ in us.  Now, this is an amazing thing: when we receive Jesus into our lives, the mind of Christ takes up residence within us.  At all times, believers have at their disposal the very thoughts and attitudes of Jesus.  Where we would normally seek our own glory, the mind of Christ in us helps us to not constantly grasp after recognition or power.  Where we would naturally be full of ourselves, by supernaturally accessing the mind of Christ we are able to empty ourselves of ego and become servants to all.  The mind of Christ replaces rebellion and stubbornness with humility and obedience.  It allows us to be Christlike, laying ourselves down for the good of others.

Restored relationships can only come through the mind of Christ.  Albert Einstein is attributed for saying, "Problems cannot be solved by the level of awareness that created them."  This is as true in spiritual matters as it is in physics.  If your mind got you into trouble, how can you think that your mind can get you out?  If your mind has systematically been destroying a relationship, then quit trying to solve the problem by using your mind.  You need the mind of Christ.  Only by thinking His thoughts, with His mind, can the Holy Spirit repair you, and then your relationships can be restored.

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A MEDITATION WITH ECUMENICAL PRAYER BEADS

(Click here to get your own)

Today's meditation on Philippians 2.1-11 (ESV), using the Ecumenical Prayer Beads, has the same verses for the Invitatory and Benedictory beads. For the weeks, use whatever word or phrase stands out to you from the cruciform verses.

Invitatory - verses 5-7

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Cruciform - verses 1-4

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Weeks - Select a word or phrase that stands out to you from the Cruciform Beads, to use as your meditation for the Weeks beads.

Benedictory - verses 5-11

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Run the Race Set Before You

Recently, I've been running.  Since this past May, my wife and I have been training for a 5k that we just ran a couple of weeks ago.  It was the Color Run in Richmond, Virginia--what they affectionately call the "happiest 5k on the planet!"  Click here to read more about my experience running.  What made the Color Run so much fun was that every half mile or, volunteers who were cheering us on also covered us with colored corn starch.  Click here for more information on the Color Run.  By the end of the race, the thousands of runners were covered head to toe in green, blue, pink, and yellow.  Folks made it even more fun by showing up for the run wearing garish colors, tutus, and other festive attire.  We started running just a few months ago, and had run 3 miles (5k) plenty of times in our training, but I have to admit that I was a little intimidated about my first official event.  But the Color Run was a blast!  Honestly, it was so much fun that it ended way sooner than I expected.  Time seemed to fly by.  By the time we crossed the finish line, I was wishing it was a 10k instead.  Now, we are training for a the Wicked 10k in Virginia Beach, which we'll run at the end of this month.  

Now, I have to admit--I never saw myself as becoming a runner.  It's been physically tough, getting my body to the point where I can run 6 miles at a stretch.  But it's been even tougher mentally--convincing myself that I can do it, pushing through the discomfort and even pain, getting to the point of determination that leads to achievement.  What do I do when the running gets tough?  I meditate.

Some of my favorite verses to repeat to myself as I run are:

• Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
• Isaiah 40:31a - "They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles"  For some reason, the second part of the verse, "They shall run and now be weary, they shall walk and not faint" doesn't work for me.  I think it's because just by using the word "weary," it makes me weary.
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 - "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."

Soon, I'll create a page on this website, dedicated exclusively to meditation verses for runners--and how to breathe in tandem with your footfalls, while you repeat the words to the rhythm.  

It's enough to say for now that for me, meditation and running go together.  A lot of runners talk about getting in "the zone."  I've found this zone without meditation, where the wordless rhythm of your footfalls and breaths creates a metronome-like effect and you lose yourself in the run.  I've also found this when I repeat scripture over and over, losing myself in God's Word.

Today's meditation, following the rhythm of the Protestant Prayer Beads, is taken from Hebrews 12:1-2.  If you don't have a set, you can order one by clicking on the picture of the Protestant Prayer Beads on the left side of the screen.  Begin with the Lord's Prayer as you take the cross in your hand.  Then proceed to the Invitatory, around either to the left or right (your preference) as you touch each one of the Weeks.  Move through the Weeks beads and the Cruciform beads until you return again to the beginning.  Then, the Invitatory becoms the Benedictory.  Finally, repeat the Lord's Prayer again when you get the cross--and you're done.

Whether it's an actual run or just the journey of life, I pray that the race you run in today will be blessed.  I pray that you'll set aside the sin and entanglements of life, and look to Jesus.  I pray that as you're strengthened by Christ, you'll be able to press through the struggle and know God's blessing.  And I pray that when you get to the finish line, you'll hear the Lord say, "Well done!"

A MEDITATION WITH ECUMENICAL PRAYER BEADS:
(Click here to get your own)

Invitatory - From v. 1
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (Spend some time thinking about this, remembering the saints you know who have gone on before you)

Cruciform - From v. 1
Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely.

Weeks - From vv. 1-2
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

Benedictory - From v. 2
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Toddler's Prayer

Psalm 131 (ESV)

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
    my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
    too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.

            Recently, I’ve had several people come to me with restless hearts and anxious minds.  Plagued by problems that neither they nor I could solve, what they needed more than answers was peace.  If I were a doctor, I could write a prescription for medication—but as a pastor I wrote them a prescription for meditation.  Psalm 131 is one of the best scriptures I know, for dealing with restlessness and anxiety.  I’d like to share it with you today.

            The first two lines deal with humility—a virtue which eclipses anxiety.  Ego says, “I’m worried about my problems, my issues, my situations.”  But the humble heart realizes that there’s a bigger picture than the one it can see.  Instead of imagining himself at the center, the humble person keeps God in the center.  When we take God out of the center and put ourselves there instead, we think that we have to be the solution to everything.  Humility realizes that God is almighty and that we are not.  Knowing this at the core, the humble person can rest free from anxiety.

            The next two lines build upon humility with simplicity.  The simple heart refuses to entangle itself in the world’s complexities that do nothing but bring it down.  Simplicity flies free from the restraints imposed upon it by knotty situations.  It eludes exhausting philosophies and rests instead in uncomplicated singleness of spirit.  The simple answer is usually the best, especially for the person who’s way too stressed.

            The following three lines paint a picture of a toddler in her mother’s arms.  Whereas a nursing baby is constantly clamoring after her mother’s breast for milk, the weaned child can simply lay her head on her mother’s breast and rest in that love.  Without asking for anything, she can unselfishly enjoy her mother’s presence.  Often our anxiety causes us to grasp after God, not wanting God’s presence so much as a solution to our problems.  Like nursing children, we’re more interested in God for our own sake than for the sake of relationship.  But the one who prays the toddler’s prayer simply rests in God’s presence.  Like a child with her head on her mother’s breast, we try to listen for God’s heartbeat, instead of pulling after the Lord for more milk.  When you experience anxiety, try resting with God instead of reaching for God.  You’ll find more peace in God’s arms than appealing before His throne.

            The final two lines can refer not just to the nation of Israel, but to anyone who has the heart of Israel, a name that means “One who wrestles with God.”  We often find ourselves wrestling with God, struggling to understand a complex problem or trying to convince God to do our will through persistent prayer.  The Hebrew word that the ESV translates as “hope” can also be rendered as “wait.”  It’s a practice that involves patient trust in a God who is far more able than you are, to do all that you need on your behalf.  The psalmist reminds us also that our hope is now and forevermore.  In other words, our times are in God’s hands (Ps 31.15). 

            When you feel restless, anxious, or afraid, my prescription for you is a meditation on Psalm 131.  Instead of worrying, fretting, and grasping after God for a solution to your problem, simply trust that He is working His purpose out in your life.  Wait in His arms.  Pray like a toddler who simply enjoys her mother’s presence.  Instead of praying that God will do your will, practice patience and peace as you enjoy the Father’s caress.

Be Still

This morning in my quiet time, I was meditating on Psalm 46.10 (ESV), which says, "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  This notion of stillness, and the meaning of stillness, struck me more than ever today, so I thought I'd share it with you.

First, I found many other scriptures that have to do with our need for stillness, such as:

Psalm 37.7 ESV
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,    over the man who carries out evil devices!

Mark 4.39 ESV

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Click here for a longer list of scriptures having to do with stillness.

Next, because my wife calls me a "word nerd," I looked up the etymology of the English word "still," to find out its origins and history.  Here's what I found on the Online Etymology Dictionary:

still (adj.) 

Old English stille "motionless, stable, fixed, stationary," from Proto-Germanic *stilli- (cognates: Old Frisian, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stille, Dutch stil, Old High German stilli, German still), from PIE root *stel- "to put, stand," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place (see stall (n.1)). Meaning "quiet, calm, gentle, silent" emerged in later Old English. Euphemistic for "dead" in stillborn, etc. Still small voice is from KJV:

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. [1 Kings 19:11-13]

Used as a conjunction from 1722.

still (n.1) 

"distilling apparatus," 1530s, from Middle English stillen "to distill" (c.1300), a variant of distillen (see distill).

still (v.) 

Old English stillan "to be still, have rest; to quiet, calm, appease; to stop, restrain," from stille "at rest" (see still (adj.)). Cognate with Old Saxon stillian, Old Norsestilla, Dutch, Old High German, German stillen. Related: Stilled; stilling.

still (n.2) 

c.1200, "a calm," from still (adj.). Sense of "quietness, the silent part" is from c.1600 (in still of the night). Meaning "a photograph" (as distinguished from a motion picture) is attested from 1916.

still (adv.) 

"even now, even then, yet" (as in still standing there), 1530s, from still (adj.) in the sense "without change or cessation, continual" (c.1300); the sense of "even, yet" (as in still more) is from 1730.

So, "Be still" can mean three things:

1 - It can mean being motionless, quiet, and calm.  Taken in this sense, being still before the Lord means listening to God rather than filling the air with your own words.  It can mean settling the spirit rather than ceaselessly striving.  Not only can this be taken as an adjective (being calm), but it can be taken as a noun (being a calm).  Being still means being the calm in the world's storm, being the place where others can go in order to get some rest.

2 - It can mean being "even now" with God.  Or, put more simply, it can mean being in the present moment with the Lord.  Rather than letting your mind drift to failures of the past or future plans, being still can mean simply enjoying God's presence in the present.

3 - It can mean understanding that you are, in fact, a distilling apparatus for God's presence, peace, and Word.  To be a still and know that He is God means to fully process the knowledge of God--to let God's presence drip through you until you can offer an intoxicating draught of God's Holy Spirit to the world (Ephesians 5.18 ESV).

So, this simple phrase, to be still, is packed with meaning.  This one word, still, is a prayer in and of itself.  Simply sit and breathe, repeating this one word with every breath.  As you do so, ask God to make you you to be still, or to be a still.  As you exhale, let the word be your request to God, to give you His stillness.  As you inhale, receive the essence of still-ness that God wants to give you.  You'll find that stillness is worth so much more than striving.

We Will Not Fear

Psalm 46 deals with the problem of fear.  Fear that stifles, torments, and overwhelms the soul.  Fear that makes it feel like the earth's foundation is crumbling, like creation is falling apart from the inside out.  When the soul is overcome with fear, God's presence is our refuge and strength.  Practicing God's presence enables the fearful soul to know God's peace, even in the midst of turmoil.

The river described in verse four is the River of Life that is found in Revelation 22.1-2 (ESV):

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

This river isn't simply a water feature in some faraway Heaven.  It flows from the altar, from the very Temple of God in the New Jerusalem.  As the Bible says that you are God's Temple (1 Cor 6.19), this also applies not only to an otherworldly landscape, but to the soul of the believer.  Jesus said of the believer:

"The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life...Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (Jn 4.14; 7.38 ESV).’”  

This River of Life is the flow of Holy Spirit within you.  Like the ebb and flow of breath within your lungs, this living moves through your soul, gladdening the heart and giving peace to your spirit.  When you become sensitive to the Spirit's flow within you, peace overwhelms the fear that threatens.  God is at your center, and your center is in God; you shall not be moved.

Psalm 46.5 says, "God will help her when morning dawns."  The morning the psalmist speaks of is God's illumination within the heart of the person who prays.  By centering yourself in God, practicing His presence in the River of Life that flows through your soul, you find yourself strangely calm, though the nations rage and the kingdoms totter around you.  The morning dawning reminds us that:

God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

So the light of God (illumination of dawn) and the life of God (river whose streams make glad the city of God) keep the believer in perfect peace, even when surrounded by natural and human disaster.  Verse 8 reminds the reader that if we think the world brings desolation, just compare that to God's capacity to bring destruction.  Yet, in verse 9 we learn that God is the bringer of peace.  How can we know God's peace, even as the world rages around us?

"Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!"

Practicing the presence of God, allowing His light to dawn on you, feeling His living water flow through you, knowing God's peace that conquers fear--all these things are accomplished by one simple act.  

Be still, and know that God is God.

Yet, as simple as that seems, how rarely do God's people avail themselves of this peace!  In contemplative prayer, we do not rehearse our fears and then ask God to take our fears away.  Instead, we simply rest in God.  As we find the word "Selah" (Hebrew: "Pause and reflect") three times in these eleven verses, the believer must get still, get quiet, and listen to God.  In meditation, we repeat God's words of assurance to our hearts, until His promises become a reality in our souls.

I invite you to practice contemplative prayer, using the a one-word Logos Prayer like "peace," "refuge," "strength," "river," "still," or "selah" to re-center your spirit everytime your mind wanders.

I invite you to meditate on God's Word, using the Christian Prayer Beads, with the following verses.  I pray that you'll find God to be your "very present help in trouble."

A MEDITATION WITH ECUMENICAL PRAYER BEADS:

(Click here to get your own)

Invitatory - vv. 1-3

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 

Cruciform -  v. 5

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.

Weeks - v. 4

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.

Benedictory - v. 10

“Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”