This week, we are invited to embrace God as "Hiding Place." I invite you to breathe deeply. Take a few moments to center yourself on God and allow yourself to consider how God is your Hiding Place. What does that mean to you? Can you envision God in this way?
Lent is a time when when we seek to walk the road of discipleship. How can we recognize Christ in our midst? How can we follow Christ? We concentrate on the Journey of Discipleship through contemplative/reflective prayer practices such as Lectio Divina, Breath Prayers, Centering Prayer and Walking the Labyrinth …
As you breathe and settle into a place of deep gratitude within yourself, listen for the echoes of the deep love and care God has for you ... if other feelings arise too, welcome them all with this part of Contemplative Outreach's Welcoming Prayer ...
Focus, feel, and sink
into the feelings, emotions,
thoughts, sensations,
and commentaries in your body.
Welcome the Divine
Indwelling in the feelings, emotions,
thoughts,
commentaries, or sensations in your body by saying
“Welcome.”
If other feelings emerge, welcome them all as they come by circling back to this prayer as often as you need to. If you find yourself doing this often consider exploring spiritual direction with a trained spiritual director whose gift is to be a companion on the journey of others. Spend time with this welcoming prayer until you feel it is time to move from prayer into the sacred reading of the biblical text, and then ... Pray:
As I welcome you into my time of sacred reading with fear and trembling, O God, reveal yourself to me and fill me with grace and mercy. Amen.
Read Psalm 32 slowly, immersing yourself in the images of God that are held within this public psalm of praise ... praising God for who God is and praising God for what God does ... in "fear" which means awe and reverence, we stand before God, perhaps we stand IN God ... perhaps you might read this psalm out loud as you work through it ...
Our God, you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away. You bless them by saying, "You told me your sins, without trying to hide them, and now I forgive you.”
Before I confessed my sins, my bones felt limp, and I groaned all day long. Night and day your hand weighed heavily on me, and my strength was gone as in the summer heat.
So I confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, “I’ll tell the Lord each one of my sins.”
Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.
We worship you, Lord, and we should always pray whenever we find out that we have sinned.
Then we won’t be swept away by a raging flood.
You are my hiding place! You protect me from trouble, and you put songs in my heart because you have saved me.
You said to me, "I will point out the road that you should follow. I will be your teacher and watch over you. Don’t be stupid like horses and mules that must be led with ropes to make them obey.”
All kinds of troubles will strike the wicked, but your kindness shields those who trust you, Lord.
And so your good people should celebrate and shout.
Read the passage again slowly and Reflect on the Psalmist sense of who God is. Listen for a word or a phrase that draws your attention. Repeat that word or phrase. Ponder this Word or phrase through which God is speaking to YOU as you let the story unfold in your mind and heart. Where does your word or phrase intersect your life where you are right now … as you feel yourself listening, not listening, obeying, not obeying, doing, not doing, speaking, not speaking, praying, not praying, fasting, not fasting ... How are you responding, not responding … make an honest assessment, where are you?
Read the passage again slowly and Respond. Share with God how you feel about what you are hearing through your word or phrase. Speak your word or phrase out loud and ask God to help you surrender to the word you have heard and the wisdom it holds as you explore its meaning for you where you are right now. Take a moment or more to journal in the form of a "praise psalm."
Read the passage again and Rest. Allow the presence of God to surround you and deepen your faith so you are able to surrender to God's call. Rest until the peace of God settles into your soul ...
When you sense the time to move on,
Pray these words from the song, "You are my Hiding Place."
You are my hiding place, You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance, Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You
I will trust in You, Let the weak say, I am strong
In the strength of the Lord, I will trust in You. Amen.
Now ... Listen to You are my Hiding Place on Youtube.
Dear One,
Can you envision God waiting for you with love and forgiveness?
Can you envision running to a God with open arms?
Can you envision disappearing into a God who is your Hiding Place?
No comments:
Post a Comment