Set readings for members. These are choices we make when we fear, and there is no comfort there. Psalms 51:2 "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." I love these thoughts and questions. Find a group. This is a psalm that conveys God's protection and rescue from danger. How might things have gone differently? Après 3 semaines de confinement, voici la 18ème méditation du jour, à nouveau sur le Psaume 31. (NRSV). I need to bath myself in these assurances from God’s Word. Psalms 51:1 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions." 46:1–3)[/box]. Welcome! On the third Sunday of each month, Open Table’s worship service is contemplative. I miss your frank, loving honest thoughts. How he can take an impossible situation and make it possible. Image courtesy of phasinphoto/FreeDigitalPhotos.net, I love this Psalm, Kim! This Psalm has been a comfort to me lately. And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Who does the Psalmist direct our attention to, before we walk through the challenges described here? On this page, you can find a printable guide for the focus verse in each video. In the early morning hours, before I even open my eyes, this prayer from Psalm 46 is often on my lips: [box]God is our refuge and strength, Look at your wish list, your bucket list. Image of the earliest extant picture of Jesus, painted on the ceiling of the catacombs. He will guide you slowly through each verse to help you intuit how the meaning resonates with your life. Imagine some future situation where someone seems threatening to you. We express gratitude for what we have in this moment. What is troubling you today? HE accepted Jesus a month before he died, and SHE said no. 4Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. Psalm 91 Meditation Jesus’ Invitation to Us. But you have known dark valleys of your own. Guided Meditation (verses 1-5) We return to the first verse of our Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd. My question comes in his answer to prayer, yes, no, or not now. You two continue to ... Kimberly: praying on for you and LeRoy still. . I am brought back again to look not at what God can do or at what He might do, but to God Himself in all of His self-sufficient power and glory and beauty and to rest in Him alone as the waves roar. Two Truths For Troubled Times: A Meditation on Psalm 46. Think about a recent time when you let fear guide you. . Have you found Him to be the Rock of safety when the waters are over your head? For more Christian meditations… I’m so glad to get a life-update and hope to hear more from you in how we can pray specifically during this transition time. Thanks so much for offering these mediations this week. I know God never fails us, I know his Word tells us he will never leave us or forsake us. I love the first word of this Psalm. Welcoming God, lead us now beside still waters to restore our souls—frightened souls, weary souls, troubled souls. Pray this passage back to the Lord and insert the specific “mountains” that are quaking in your life today. In this short guided meditation, we take a few minutes in silence to listen to truth from God’s Word. Meditations on Psalm 46. … Do externals escape His notice? 2/22 Ash Wednesday - Day 1. I know God wanted me to get to this point in my life. I’m excited for each new step and the level of maturity that he has brought in my relationship with him. David wrote this psalm in response… A Meditation on Psalm 103. Through compassionate insight, he connects this sacred text with other wisdom traditions to help you find peace in your heart and solidarity in Spirit. re-membered . As you eat the wafer, imagine sharing it with someone for whom you seek greater compassion. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be … E-mail: pastor@opentableucc.org. This declaration from the heart of a child of God assures us of: rich nourishment, wise guidance, strong defence, and ultimate blessing–each of which is alluded to in the psalm. Carefully designed as a practical, study-focused version of Alabaster's other bible books, the Alabaster Guided Meditations invite readers into deeper reflection by incorporating the church's ancient lectio divina and visio divina … Kim, thank you for your ministry, thank you for posting your devotions and the questions to make us think and absorb the living word. Seeking God daily as our refuge, our friend, and our guidance was def step 1 of this process. January 26, 2015 / This week, I want us to meditate on one of my favorite Psalms. Sue. US Sat pm/AU Sun am; US Sun pm/AU Mon am; US Mon pm/AU Tues am; US Tues pm/AU Weds am; US Weds am/AU Weds pm; US Thurs am/AU Thurs pm; … Working in my husband to soften his heart and remove his blinders while working in him. Use this meditation … This is an interior posture, an anxiety management tool. Masculine personal pronouns are used to refer to the psalmist only for convenience. Oh the blessedness of the Word of God! Where is God when the earth shakes and mountains slip into the sea? 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. Goodness and mercy are not ambling along behind us but are a concerted energy directed toward us. I’m reflecting on so many times God has been my refuge and my strength. Are the collapsing mountains beyond His ability to bring stability into your life? Picture, if you will, two messengers named Goodness and Mercy chasing us down. In the new Psalm Verse Meditations Menu on the Christian Mindfulness website, I have created 27 guided meditations which involve settling, grounding, resting, engaging with God in prayer, meditating and being with God. Try developing the psalm further around that particular image. Let me encourage you to not “move on” with your life as you put it, but to continue seeking God devotedly–not just for the restoration of your marriage–but seek God to walk in obedience to Him and His Word daily whether your husband ever returns or not. What’s your wish list—of things you desire? So let’s imagine what it means to eat at Christ’s table with “enemies” present. It is my goal to depend on him during the good times and the bad times. I have it on my wall so when I get up and go to bed, I see it. Address Box 61 Richards Landing, ON; P0R 1J0 (For our church locations, please see the contact page). Compose your own prayer that you address to this image of God. J. G. Bellett. But if that never happens, God loves you and values you, dear Jess, He is worthy of all your adoration and devotion. I ended up attempting to take my life. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Joshua 1:8”. Many of these things are not bad things. — Acts 2:25. We exercise our faith and we practice a life of gratitude by sharing what we have. So glad yo... Praying for y'all! . His heart is functioning normal now. Trust Him in the process. Sign up to get new posts sent directly to your e-mail address. I have been basking in Psalm 46 over the recent several weeks that God has called both my stepfather and my mother-in-law Home. If we attend to the leadership of the Good Shepherd, who can lead us beside still waters, ours spirit we can be led down the right paths and our souls restored. It keeps us from judging ourselves and defining ourselves by what we attain so that we can instead come to love ourselves for the inner Light within. Guided Meditations; Personal Testimonies; Facilitation; LP Readings. Will I be able to make it in the working world after all this time? But, I am grateful Jesus has the final word. As you silently reread the psalm, notice the shift in metaphors. The second want list is your bucket list: what you want to do or be. He brought me from a very unstable point to a stable point. This is a spoken meditation with affirmations. Have things in your life been shaken up a bit? Imagine choosing love over fear because you know that God leads by love alone—and only love can bring comfort. (A guided meditation on Psalm 27, from God Loves the Stranger: Stories, Poems, Prayers) One thing I ask of Adonai, only that do I seek. What is going on in your life right now and how do you need His protection? Because Jesus hates spam. Caring God, many have traveled through a difficult week. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Through taking a long, slow look at this chapter, hopefully it will bring us to a place of exalting God. Hi Kim: This series on Psalm 46 has come at the perfect time for me. He is our refuge, strength and present help. The Lord is my Shepherd; I have received all I ever needed in the past. Through the eyes of faith, we see that our cup overflows and we have all that we need and more. May you be aware of His power at work in your life as you depend on Him! — Luke 24:44. I hope tthat encourages you that God has you hemmed in, before and behind!! Some have understood the above phrase to mean that God rescues us from enemies and then blesses us to spite them. The beginning of this month I got the papers that he did file for divorce. Who or what are you looking to today to serve as your refuge, help, and strength? . The pastor will then touch your forehead with oil and offer a blessing for you. I know you are experiencing such pain and loss and I am so very sorry. In this meditation, Vanessa guides you through a reading of Psalm 91. But in verse 5 God is implicitly compared to something else. Now that I’m facing a dark season in my marital relationship, it’s really earth shattering, at times I’ve felt like I was drowning and wasn’t going to make it. I’m thankful you are looking to God, seeking Him as your place of safety and comfort. One thing you can be assured of, God will never forsake or abandon you. Where is God when you feel as though the roaring waves are about to take you under? 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Good to hear from you! I have taken this divorce and surrendered it to the Lord. We can share our testimony as a living example of how powerful God is. And it allows us to live without wanting, wanting, wanting. . Thanks Naomi! How is your precious family? The shepherd’s rod and staff offer steady guidance and rescue. In these verses it says God is our strength and our help in trouble. Refuge to me means something that will keep us safe. Kim, all I can say is thank you, thank you and thank God for raising you up and placing this blog in my life. Cry out to God for help and praise Him for being your refuge and strength. I encourage you to take the first verse of this passage and tuck it in your heart today. Thank you so much for sharing some of your story with us. However, where we are God has put us here or allowed us to be here and His grace is sufficient. Amen, Telephone: 251-333-0435 Pray for your husband from the position of knowing how God has worked in the past and how He is able to do more than we can think or imagine! At Christ’s table, enemies become our guests. This Psalm has helped me so much. But Jesus said to love our enemies. Why does that image of the Divine call to you? Every week in 2020, I’ll post new guided meditation videos on one verse from each psalm on YouTube and in my Facebook group. He has been faithful to me and my family in miraculous ways and I have testified to it many times. I have been praying and will continue to pray for him to continue his work in me, growing me to be more like him. Just know that “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord.” I don’t want to loose my husband to another woman. Short Meditations on the Psalms, Chiefly in their Prophetic Character. Focus on the image that speaks best to you. But at the open table that body is remembered . I have been seeking God every day in every area of my life. I truly believe that this separation is more of a spiritual battle than anything else. Now maybe, like most of us, you desire some things that are not healthy for you, and you know that, but probably your list mainly includes good desires and noble aspirations—along with maybe some morally neutral desires and some harmless if petty wants. Jean Sainvil - In God We Trust - Blessed is the man who comes in the name of God. It’s one that I memorized several years ago when we headed into a marriage trial – a trial that lasted way longer than I would have thought I could bear. (PAUSE). Previous Post Previous Guided Meditation Psalm 23. What is a “present” help? Vicki, thank you so much for being sensitive to the Spirit and praying for me! You’ve walked through many dark valleys–but how encouraging to hear how God met with you in each of those dark places. – Psalm 16:2, 4. Thankful for your friendship and your example in that. November 2, 2016 / davidsschrock. Search for: Search. There is not a day that I could get through without him giving me the strength. As you seek the Father, and He confirms His will in each of the decisions along the way, cling to those words from Scripture when the enemy (or your personal fears) begin to assault you. Wow! Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.-Psalm 51:10. Has He provided you with the solid ground you need? . You may speak with the pastor and quietly share a need for healing or a sense of God’s calling in your life. Find Us. I’ve see the Lord be a very present help in times of trouble. Have you taken that to Him and asked Him to be your present help in tangible and specific ways? But, like Kim said, if he doesn’t God is still worthy to be praise! Made me smile to see your kind face in the comment section 🙂. But this psalm provides an antidote. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. He is my refuge, my strength and my present help. So, I am struggling with the fact if I should move on in my life or if I should continue to rely on God as my Rock of Safety and know that he hates divorce and as long as I follow his commands and his paths that one day according to his perfect timing he will restore our marriage, that he will make my husband remove his eyes from the other woman and back to the love of his youth.