Tag Archives: meditation

Draw me close to you

 

 

Every day, do something that brings you closer to God.

 

Taking time to meditate is vital to a growing faith. But meditation can be a challenge. We aren’t conditioned in our society to be in silence. In fact, much of our life is filled with noise and activity, leaving little time for God. So how do you quiet yourself so you can enjoy the peace of his presence?

Sometimes I reflect on a particular passage of scripture, focusing on one word or phrase at a time. Sometimes I ponder one of God’s attributes (his love, mercy, goodness, power, etc). Sometimes I will focus on a hymn or praise song that helps to bring me into his presence. It’s all about drawing close to Him in the quiet of the day and in the busyness of life. God promises that if we will draw close to him and humble ourselves, he will draw close to us. Donnie McClurkin’s song Draw Me Close To You may be a good place to start. Read through the words and let there be periods of rest and silence between verses, so you have a place where God can speak to you. You may even want to stop and focus just on one word or phrase. Resist the temptation to rush on to some other activity. We may well make more of a difference by doing less and drawing close to God more. Be blessed in the time you spend with God.

“Draw Me Close To You” – Donnie McClurkin

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that I’m Your friend

You are my desire
And no one else will do
‘Cause nothing else can take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace

Help me find a way
Bring me back to You

You’re all I want
You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want
Help me know You are near

You are my desire
And no one else will do
‘Cause nothing else can take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace

Help me find a way
Bring me back to You

You’re all I want
You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want
Help me know You are near
Help me know You are near
Help me know You are near

 

Anchoring your mind

 

The subject of ‘mindfulness’ is frequently mentioned in the media, typically in the context of finding calmness in life balance. The idea is that we should take time each day to be mindful of our existence and our relationship with our world and others around us. The process is one of ‘anchoring’ oneself to inner values in a way that promotes emotional calmness.

Did you know that practicing mindfulness is at the very heart of focusing on and loving God? From the beginning, we are told to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength (Deut. 6:5). Repeatedly, God prompts us to remember that He is our God (Numbers 15:41). We are reminded to meditate on His Word day and night (Joshua 1:8). We are called into His presence (Ps. 95:2) and to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16). Jesus said that we can’t do anything without him, that we need to remain in him (John 15), and Paul tells us that with him, we can do all things.

Being mindful of who God is and who we are in his sight, is the essence of walking with God. It is our hope in Him that anchors us in the only way that is firm and secure (Heb. 6:19). It is the anchor that keeps us from drifting away from Him.

So how do we practice this mindfulness of God? Consider the following practical steps:
1. Find and make space for God throughout your daily actions and thoughts. When you find yourself getting upset and tense, create a space between how you feel and how you respond. In that space, think of who you are called to be. Ponder what a godly response would look like. A harsh word may seem like it would satisfy, but consider the longer-lasting consequence of that approach. Choose to be a peacemaker instead.
2. Don’t give in to fear and anxiety. Instead, practice being calm even in the middle of turmoil. Be mindful of God’s promises, His love for you, and how he has equipped you for every situation.
3. Get comfortable with silence. It’s impossible to truly hear what someone else is saying if you are always talking. Talk with God regularly and throughout the day, not just upon rising and going to bed. But more than talking, practice listening to God at least 10-15 minutes each day. Listen without interrupting. Practicing this after reading His Word will stimulate your listening ability.
4. Sharpen your saw. Break away from busyness. If you want to be more productive in what you do and to experience greater life balance and peace, practice being mindful of the One who loves you most. Stop drifting and enjoy the peace and wisdom of your anchoring your mind in meditation.

Transcending anxiety and suffering

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

It’s easy to become anxious about things, isn’t it? I think it is a part of our earthly nature, and so will challenge us as long as we have these earthy bodies. But there is an effective antidote against anxiety. It is in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, presenting all our requests, our concerns and our anxious thoughts to God. And how does God respond? He gives peace to those who trust him. Not just any peace, but that peace which transcends all understanding. Not the peace that is merely the absence of anxiety, but peace that mysteriously and powerfully transcends it.

Other than this passage, my only other recollection of this word is from my college days. Transcendental Meditation (TM) was taught and encouraged throughout the university. But this focused on ‘new age’ and eastern philosophies that I didn’t want to be associated with. I remembered the saying that if it’s new, it isn’t true, and if it’s true, it isn’t new.

Much of the time I suspect we settle for enduring suffering. Is that your experience – learning to grit your teeth and put up with your hurts and anxious thoughts? Or maybe you have learned how to cope with suffering: experiencing suffering and at the same time not being ruled by it.

So how do we pursue Godly transcendental meditation? The Bible offers guidance for those disciplined to learn this ‘secret.’ It starts with ‘being still.’ But being still isn’t the absence of activity and it isn’t a vacation into mindlessness. I am still learning but I think it is about contemplating the fullness of God, his peace, his purpose, his power in your life. Contemplating his Word and his characteristics may guide you into Godly stillness. This stillness is a preparation for a conversation with God, both speaking and listening. It’s about focused listening to what God wants to reveal to you about YOUR life.

Transcendent peace is not only found in being still before a sovereign God and keenly focusing on what he wants to reveal to you. It is about really trusting him to do just that. And this comes from faithfully following him throughout the whole day, through the business of life, the mundane chores, the sorrows, and the celebrations. It is about being mindful of his love for you and sensitive to his plan for your life.

So here is a challenge: try this every day for thirty days. Pursue his love and his peace; that peace which transcends all understanding.

Starved for solitude

“We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and privacy, and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship.” CS Lewis, The Weight of Glory

My first thought in reading this quote is just the opposite; how much we need each other. I found this to be so true in the first nine months of leukemia treatment. Suddenly pulled from my normal routine of vibrant interactions with dozens of people daily, I found months of relative solitude to be a rather ‘painful’ experience. In fact, Lewis does address this earlier in his message. “We are forbidden to neglect the assembling of ourselves together. We are members of one another.” The Christian experience, without the building of true community is an oxymoron. We are meant for one another.

But what is it about our soul that leaves it starved also for solitude and meditation? We live in a world that makes constant demands for our attention. A steady flow of never-ending electronic beeps calls us to tasks, appointments, and endless access to news, social information, and status updates.

God designed us not only for activity, but also for stillness. “He MAKES me lie down in green pastures.” (Psalm 23) He prompts us: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) “Meditate on (His Word) day and night so that you may be careful to do everything in it…to be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8-9) The psalmist writes, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

Probably, the busier we are in our current season of life, the more we need to take time to find an oasis throughout the day where we can find restoration and peace. Reformer Martin Luther commented, “Work, work, from morning until late at night. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer!”

Imagine going for days without any food or water. Soon you will discover the depleting effects from lack of nourishment: weakness, lack of productivity, confusion, irritability. The more you work, without replenishing your resources, the less you will accomplish. The less you accomplish, the more you will be tempted to work harder and longer. But it will not satisfy. The vicious downward spiral always works against us.

Meditation and prayer nourishes our soul. They lift us out of the depths of despair, refresh our perspective, and lead us on the path to wisdom and understanding, to peace, and renewed strength. God describes it like lifting us as on the wings of eagles! (Psalm 91)

The truth is we need both the solitude of meditation and the true friendship and community with others. We cheat ourselves when we neglect one or the other. I hope you will intentionally pursue both of these today. It is the path of experiencing God’s best for you.

Finding peace where you are

We live in a world that provides no end of advice on self-help and self-improvement, on increasing productivity, and doing more -better-with less. We are taught to multitask, though I think research is starting to demonstrate that too much multitasking actually decreases productivity and quality of life. Overall, it seems we are wired to do more whether at work or in our hobbies, in keeping up with an endless supply of emails and Facebook updates, or making sure our children don’t miss out on an opportunity to participate in yet one more activity.

Such a world of go-go-go reminds me that I need to guard my heart and mind by purposefully inserting moments of quiet meditation into each day; times to reflect on where I am going so and how I am getting there.

These moments of reflection bring us to a point of inner peace. They restore our trust in who we are becoming.
They remind us of our faith and the gifts and love we’ve been given to share with others.
They teach us the power of contentment and the wisdom of finding perspective in stepping back from constant activity.
They free us from the tyranny of the urgent and allow us to refocus on the truly important.
They allow us to live each day with purpose and passion.

The busier you are, the more hectic your day, the more you need to stop the go-go-go and simply rest, breathe, and thank God for who he is and what he’s done. At what cost do we deny ourselves this instantly available and gracious gift from God?

Find peace wherever you are today.