Meditate On God

Joshua. 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do

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Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

What we're going to do is we're going to take a moment right now. To focus on God. And to let everything else fade away. If you're comfortable, go ahead and close your eyes. And justice focus on God. Be present. In the moment.

Psalm 46:10 says Be still and know that I am God. So be still and present. Right now in this space. And know that God is here. is here in the moment with us.

In the beginning, when God formed man out of the dust, he breathed his life. Into him. All of the rest of creation became alive through God's voice, but God breathed into man. The formal name of God is Yahweh And in Hebrew the. Vowels weren't written and so it would be written as capital YHWH. The name is often compared to the sound of breathing. Yah—the inhale. Weh—The Exhale.

I want you to take 5 deep breaths and meditate. On God's Word. And on God.

1: Fully inhale…. Expanding your belly in your chest as much as you can. Yah!

Hold it for a moment…

And exhale… Feeling God's presence roll over you like a wave….Weh

2 Inhale… Filling your entire system with fresh oxygen. Fresh life from God.

Hold it…

And exhale… The relaxation gently sweeping over you Like sitting beside still waters.

3 Inhale…. So that you're brimming. With God's love.

Hold it… Let it permeate every area of your body.

And exhale…. Letting your body relax. Like a child in the arms of their father.

4 Fully inhale… Feeling these breaths of life purifying your entire body….Yah

Exhale…. Notice how you are feeling.

5 Inhale…. Peace and joy coming in. And hold it. Feel God's transformation in your body, allowing your mind to relax. To let go of the worries of this world.

And exhale. Allowing His love to blanket you. Just feel the warmth Of who he is and what he has done for you. Weh

Just take a moment and notice how you feel.

This is how you were created to feel.

Breathing deeply and fully as an expression of who he is.

Go ahead and continue to breathe. Slow and deep. And notice the abundance of His love. And what he has for you.

Begin now in. Scanning over your body, notice in the very top of your head and how it feels.

Let your focus move to your eyes.

Noticing how they feel. Allowing them to relax.

Continue moving down your body. Notice any tension that you're holding in your chest or your back? Notice how your back feels pressed against the surface behind you. Allow further relaxation as you move on down to your pelvis and legs. Feel the seat pressing against you, holding you up. Move down your legs to your feet, feeling them grounded. On the floor.

Take a moment and just listen. To the sounds around you. Notice anything? That you haven't been hearing before.

As we move on from noticing the exterior, move your attention inward. Are you holding on to Wells? Of fear and anxiety. Now is the time to get them over to God. Because fear and anxiousness is not from him.

Jesus tells us in John 14:27: I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Listen as God speaks this peace over your body, over your mind. Over your worries. And let everything just fall away. David writes: Even when I walk through the darkest valley. I will not be afraid. For you are close beside me. (Psalm 23:4)

So right now, don't try to change the circumstances that you're worrying about. Simply be present with God. Noticing his presence beside you. And because of him. You don't have to be afraid.

Allow him To be your shepherd and your place of safety. The psalmist tells us in Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and our strength An ever present help in trouble.

So recognize that peace does not come from being removed from the storm, but trusting in God in the midst of the storm. So find peace while the world rages around you.

After focusing on the calm and the storm, I want to shift our focus now. To the awareness of our thoughts and sensations. Imagine yourself in a calm, safe place. This may be a scene in nature, like a beach or mountains. Or somewhere from a pleasant memory. Or picture yourself. Like David does in Psalm 23. Resting in green meadows. Besides peaceful streams. There's no right or wrong place, as long as you feel safe and secure there.

Now reflect on the fact that you are deeply loved and fully known by the Father. Oftentimes we focus too much on our own faults and assume that God is displeased with us. But in reality, as Zephaniah 3 states, he delights in us and rejoices over us.

Here in this safe place, Imagine God looking directly into your eyes and expressing deep, Genuine love for you.

Envision him calling you by saying, “You are my beloved, and with you I am pleased.”

After all, these are similar words God used to express his love and acceptance to His own Son Jesus in Matthew 17, and we have been adopted Into his family through Jesus As Paul writes in Ephesians 1:5:

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

He chose to adopt us and it gave him great pleasure. Therefore, we too are deeply loved and fully accepted by God as His own sons and daughters. Continue meditating and reflecting on these scriptures that indicate this love and delight.

the LORD’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:11

For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:9-11

Continue breathing deeply as your focus shifts. To God's peace and gentleness.

Listen to the Words of Jesus from Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Stay here, meditate on the scripture as long as you need.

Here's where we truly find rest for our soul as Psalm 130:5 states

I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.

Just take a moment. And be still. Be present. Breathe.

When you're ready, slowly open your eyes. Stretch and return your focus to the room. Reflect on your experience on this time being present with God. Maybe in your notes write out any feelings or images that came up as we did this exercise.

Consider identifying a phrase or a piece of scripture or truth. That you'll carry with you throughout the day. And make this a daily practice Of just being present with God.