Meditations – April 2010

Meditations – 2010 – Daily Affirmations

For over five years now I have risen daily before dawn and sat in stillness after reading a verse of scripture. What follows is the fruit of that quiet time that I want to share with you. As you will see the format remains the same. Someone suggested that I share this with a wider audience — my family and friends.

Meditation – April 30, 2010

Scripture

Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:5-6

Prayer

Sometimes I wake with Thomas’ question on my heart and await your answer like this morning.

Response

So simply stated – I am the way and the truth and the life. What more do you need, except belief? What more assurance do you need when you resume your journey – not sure of how much ground you will cover this day, wondering if you rested sufficiently, if your resources will sustain you, if the light you carry will be sufficient.

Realize that you are not some interloper who has overheard the Master speak and are hoping to follow in his footsteps furtively. No, you are being called and the you – who might be hesitant at times – is fully known to the core of your being. Yes, known and heard when there rumbles in your heart a sadness that you cannot express in words.

It is at such times, Thomas’ words mirror your unspoken thoughts, Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way? Such words when they are yours form a special prayer that electrifies the heavens with your honesty. Your only requirement now is to listen as attentively to the response that unfolds in your life today.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 29, 2010

Scripture

"From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM." John 13:19

Prayer

Wake me from my slumber to catch your voice.

Response

The use of the term I AM provides you more than a glimpse of timelessness and reduces your plodding in linear time into stark contrast to that of eternity; and so, puts into perspective what occupies your time and attention, and what awaits you just now if you can awake. I AM thunders a message that you must not ignore. I promise you eternal life. What does eternity mean to you in union with me?

Please don’t fill in the concept as would a child, selecting colors for the numbers in a coloring book, choosing companions who don’t age and wear familiar clothing and ornaments. Instead, direct your heart attention to the two words, I AM. You are being given a preview to a realm that is without the boundaries of time that rule your every day and decision as you bustle about — busy.

I AM is an invitation to pause in my presence – even now, and be startled by a full moon before the rich glow of the rising sun, hear as if the for the first time the sound of scattering birds, the movement of a loved one in your surroundings, catch the measure in a stranger’s voice of joy or despair as you might look intently at the figures on your bank statement. Be in this moment with the One who is I AM.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 28, 2010

Scripture

May God be gracious to us and bless us; may God's face shine upon us. Psalms 67.2

Prayer

Though so familiar, what better way to wake than hearing in my heart this prayer of so many years ago? Help me to incorporate its sense into my routine.

Response

There is a confidence found in this verse that should rule your adventurous spirit. You are not taking a trip across the seas or even in your local environment unaccompanied. Rather, you have assurance that God’s face shines upon you. Any doubt about reaching your destination has been erased.

May God be gracious captures the essential hope that girds your faith. It is not uttered expecting calamity, but rather with full confidence that not only will you be spared from any harm whatever you encounter, but much more importantly that you willing take advantage of opportunities to serve those whose sight is still impaired.

This prayer is said with joy, knowing that indeed God is gracious, blesses you, and each day God’s face shines upon you. The question to be asked, do those you meet this day – in your home included – see this light in your actions and attention?

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 27, 2010

Scripture

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." John 10:27-39

Prayer

Such powerful language. Help me not to miss it.

Response

You could spend a day and much longer considering the Father and I are one. Yes, you have read them over and over again from your youth, and yes, you have heard debates taking one side or the other. However, this statement is not meant to confound or encourage debate; rather a light is being held up high to stir you from slumber. Look up as you did this morning to see a full orange moon before you in the West – a sight you would have missed had you continued to look at your feet on your walk.

Catch the truth resounding in the words the Father and I are one. Be in the audience as you are today, hearing those words, and realize that they are not being addressed to a crowd of wayfarers, but to you individually, singularly. What a connection; what oneness; what authority.

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Is there anything more you need in the way of a promise and a demonstration of the authority upon which it is rendered, again and again, beginning as if for the first time this morning? Don’t allow the words to lose their import ever – no matter how many times you hear or read them.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 26, 2010

Scripture

“When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice.” John 10:4

Prayer

Help me always to recognize your voice.

Response

As with the sheep, you recognize my voice most clearly, free of distractions and hyperactivity. It is a time like this when my voice comes to you over the distant lapping of the water against the bulkhead and the rhythm of the waves off in the distance. It is especially so when the outer realm of sound in your life blurs or fades to allow my singular voice to reach the inner realm of your heart as your mind still slumbers.

This is a special time where no introductions are required. You know me and much more than by my voice. You sense my presence throughout your day. How about the smile you receive unexpectedly or the smile that forms on your own face without a thought to reassure you, or a remembrance that catches you unaware? The shepherd is among you, always diligent to ensure that you are protected even when you might question the level of protection, when you would devote more time on the calamity that you will not experience – that is, if you will.

See if you can sense my footsteps before you as you enter a new day – even now before the sun has risen. What new pastures will you travel, what new companions will accompany, what idle thoughts will influence you, and what convictions will you embrace? Yes, where will you travel today even if you don’t leave your abode before returning for nourishment and repose?

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 25, 2010

Scripture

The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:50-52

Prayer

Fill me with a similar exuberance.

Response

Though you might not have been tempted to shake the sand from sandals, there are times when you are filled with an optimism that circumstances might not warrant to the outside observer. And that is the lesson. The outside observer is irrelevant to what is occurring – what is being transformed within – in the thrust of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Can you see the observers watching intently as Paul and Barnabas are expelled, led to the city’s limits and told to leave? Think how puzzled the outsiders were when they sensed the joy – courageous joy – Paul and Barnabas displayed – even shaking the dust from their feet before they set out for Iconium.

If you were to entitle the scene what would it be – relief at your release to resume your journey; apprehension about awaits you in Iconium; or excitement and joy for what is unfolding in your life adventure? Be bold like Paul and Barnabas, filled with the Holy Spirit, even if your road does not take you to a holiday retreat.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 24, 2010

Scripture

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid (her) out in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, rise up." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. Acts 9:36-41

Prayer

In Glasgow, Montana, almost 50 years ago, we had a basement apartment in the home of two widows, once homesteaders. One was named Dorcas Fagan; both were occupied with good deeds. Give me additional insight in the deeper meaning of these verses.

Response

Well, first for your consideration is how good deeds live on in the hearts of those who are almost casual observers. Who would have thought that so many years later you thank the presence of Dorcas Fagan in your life, as those the Dorcas who was raised from death? Not a bad model to encourage you to reach out beyond the perimeter of your narrow interests to others who deliberately or casually enter your space.

Next, see in this incident with Dorcas your own raising. Think of how many times you have been saved – raised if you prefer – with the sudden appearance of someone, or an unexplained change in circumstances, or a speedy recovery when you expected much worse; and of course consider times when you indeed were the agent of change or healing for those seemingly without hope and for which role you felt unworthy.

Take an inventory of those tunics and cloaks that you have distributed, even if you can’t sew a stitch. More importantly, select the colors for the tunics and cloaks that await your creative effort and distribution.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 23, 2010

Scripture

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank. Acts 9:8-9

Prayer

How many periods in my life have I not been able to see?

Response

Paradoxically, those times – at least when you have been still – have been occasions when your sight was growing in the silence. Think of times when such inactivity was forced upon you, or even now as you sit in a vacuum of time when nothing demands your attention, at least for the next twenty minutes. You enter, it seems, another realm through a huge wooden door that swings open and a staircase hewn from solid planks leads you down. That is where Saul, later to be Paul, entered. And, of course, you don’t miss the significance of the three days and nights without food and drink.

The purging of the soul is a time of cleansing; where all that commands your attention, if not your energy however limited you would estimate it, spins away from you in the dark and for a time of your choosing you connect with the true source of energy – my grace. You become aware without any doubt of the breath of the Holy Spirit flowing over you. In this space of time you are conscious once again, at least until you fall back asleep in your daily routine. Notice again the paradox that I present you.

As Saul, be renamed in spirit with the awareness that I am with you in all climes and circumstances, in your youth and even as you wither – please don’t shudder at the thought or reality, in your season of doubt as in a longer season of certitude and hope, in your joy and even your sorrow. Round and round you might turn, but consider the priceless vase being fashioned.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 22, 2010

Scripture

But God did hear and listened to my voice in prayer. Blessed be God, who did not refuse me the kindness I sought in prayer. Psalms 66:19-20

Prayer

Speak to me of your kindness.

Response

Isn’t it reassuring that I hear your voice clearly in prayer. No need to ask, if in the tumult of your life, were you heard. When have you called to someone, a loved one, friend, even stranger in a crowd and wondered if that someone caught your voice, your message, above the tumult or across the distance.

And not only are you heard, but the kindness, relief, discernment, or understanding sought is provided without delay, and as an added grace you are taken to a deeper region of your heart where all is in harmony.

About the kindness you ask, you are understood fully as your heart is fully known. What does that mean? Imagine meeting someone seemingly for the first time and discovering that you have so much in common with the person who knows intimately; you don’t have to dwell on the preliminaries like the weather, and instead are encouraged to probe and exchange thoughts and expressions that reflect who you are and are becoming. Prayer is the key to this enriching and nurturing dialogue.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 21, 2010

Scripture

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him (on) the last day." John 6:40

Prayer

Help me to see and believe.

Response

Clearly, you understand that seeing was and is not seeing the Son pass across your line of sight, as he disappears into a crowd of strangers, but rather it is disappearing with him into that very crowd of strangers – even in your midst – whom you will come to know and serve to a degree you had not thought possible.

Believing in him is not witnessing passively, contentedly, or even despairingly, the passage of time and events in your life, but rather participating fully in the time allotted you with a conscious commitment – conscious being key – to what he inspires in you through his grace and love. This is your adventure.

And as you realize, all of your efforts, even in the bleakest times, are rewarded with this promise that he will raise you up on the last day – not a long wait if you remain in the present.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 20, 2010

Scripture

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. John 6:35

Prayer

Let me not hunger of thirst.

Response

Well, if that is so, you have the answer to your request – come to me. And realize that this is not a secret cache of food and drink that you will find, but rather you do find each day. Come to me are words to serve as your constant reminder. Yes, of course, when you come to me in quiet prayer –even melodious and riotous prayer, when words don’t form easily, or at times when you stand before my majesty at sunrise. But these words also resound when you extend yourself, your patience, your generosity, your joyfulness – especially when it would be easier to dwell on your own plight.

Come to me are words that lead you to me because they are ever present and resound clearly in your heart. You might have to pause as you would for a footfall in the dark forest late at night to catch the sound of your guide who is just up ahead and aware of your presence.

Never hunger – never thirst! Hard to comprehend that truth in the midst of hunger pangs that cause doubt and anxiety. You are being asked to whisk away that constricting cloak that prevents you from taking a deep breath in this truth.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 19, 2010

Scripture

“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." John 6:27

Prayer

Help me to understand how I am to work for food that endures for eternal life.

Response

You see in our relationship, you do work and exert your heart in my service and purpose, and you do anticipate, hope for, and cultivate faith that your efforts are rewarded in eternal life. And that hoped for result is a gift that you will receive, hints of that gift you receive daily as you begin to distinguish between the food that perishes and that which endures.

You don’t need an advanced degree to understand this. It would hardly have been fair to withhold this truth until one finished school, especially since so many are not schooled. It is only the severely stressed in poverty who are challenged to catch the truth of eternal life as they struggle to survive this one immediate.

So don’t feign ignorance or through inattention, sometimes deliberate, neglect to pursue the food that endures for eternal life. By now you know that food is found in the nutrients of service, in generous love, in unbridled joy that turns the attention of those around you, and in prayer that ever refines your pursuit and persistence. So much more could be said, but hopefully you conclude, I get the drift.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 18, 2010

Scripture

Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast." And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. John 21:12-14

Prayer

Help me to realize when I sometimes don’t recognize.

Response

Yes, there is a difference. Those fishermen realized in their heart what they were experiencing, though their mind with all its analysis did not recognize at first that Jesus was standing before them. What a convincing selection of Scripture to encourage you to let go of your intellectual, mind-dominated existence, and listen to what you hear beyond the words that rattle your brain.

Again, these words return you to a constant teaching to devote time in prayer to listening. You will be surprised, if you have not discovered it already, the acuity of your hearing with hardly a lesson. It’s like sitting in an auditorium and hearing with clarity and understanding what is being spoken though the advertisement was that the event would be staged in a foreign language, so much for advertising, especially from those who are holding competing events.

Accept the invitation, come, have breakfast, even if it is evening literally or in your life. Receive the nourishment that has been prepared for you. And don’t mistake that your participation and contribution are welcome, as Jesus welcomed the fish and the bread of the disciples.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 17, 2010

Scripture

The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid." They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading. John 6:18-21

p>Prayer

These verses take me back to those years rowing on Long Island Sound in a racing shell. Stir for me a deeper meaning as if I am in a strong wind.

Response

Incidentally, you are in a strong wind – of the Holy Spirit. You also know the feeling of exhaustion in such conditions after that many miles. Now, what you might not recall is a figure walking across the water, counseling you not to be afraid; though would you even have admitted it, if it proved that you were in a building storm?

But think about it – nobody’s watching – how many times have you been in a life storm and wondered of its outcome? How many times have you been unable to unravel the circumstances that created and were evidenced in your life’s storm? It’s as if your vision is blurred by the pounding rain, your hearing by the hiss of the wind; chilled you are by soggy garments.

And then, like the apostles, you see a presence and hear of voice that reaches you above the tumult you are experiencing. The words in the language of the heart tell you quite clearly, do not be afraid. And if that is not sufficiently strange, you discover, your boat immediately arrives at the shore to which you were heading. Extraordinary! What will it take for you to dust off the pages of scripture and hear the words spoken, yes, spoken to you this very day?

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 16, 2010

Scripture

“So now I (Gamiliel) tell you, have nothing to do with these men (the Apostles), and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God." They were persuaded by him. Acts 5:38-39

p>Prayer

Give me pause to look around and see your presence.

Response

Yes, pause, a holy pause, when you see with new eyes that are confounded in wonder. How could it be differently? Feel my presence in your life. It is palpable – like the eyes you will meet from countless strangers and of course from those who enter your life daily, the insights and whispers you hear from me at sometimes the most unexpected times, or the sentiments of love you express or are expressed to you in person, a phone call, or in the e-mails you will receive, the guidance you receive within or from mentors as you bring projects to fruition and initiate others.

Who can calculate the full impact of my love you show in all your activities even this one day; yes, even this one day? Who cannot but be overwhelmed with the realization that my Spirit rushes through and beyond any institution – church or otherwise – to touch the needy, bring comfort and a holy pause for them to see me in their lives.

Be like Gamiliel and ponder my presence in your life.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 15, 2010

Scripture

For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. John 3:34

p>Prayer

I am reassured that there is nothing said about limiting the gift of the Spirit.

Response

Yes, this is not a time to scamper around your storeroom and wonder what happened to the supplies you had hoarded previously. You will be provided in all climes and circumstances – in times of drought and flood, when besieged on all sides, overwhelmed with cares and distractions, suffering or even anticipating grievous loss, wandering weary in alien terrain without orientation. Whatever your mind can conjure; let your heart resound with these words: he does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

So emerge from the silence of this morning and resume your journey, discarding all the reasons that sometimes inhibit you about inadequate resources – whatever falls into that category for you. Choose the path that seems rarely traveled and offers the challenge for which you know you are capable, now that you trust – yes trust – the gift of the Spirit will not be rationed.

Where will this path take you? Across a divide that once prevented reconciliation, discovering an opportunity to see your talent expressed, finding a community to share missing previously, an occasion to celebrate a healing, or simply a direction that offers new challenges to meet, knowing the presence of the Spirit accompanies.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 14, 2010

Scripture

But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” Acts 5:19-20

p>Prayer

The words everything about this life caused me to pause in wonder.

Response

What if I asked you to tell me everything you understand about this life in Christ? Would you succeed in getting below the surface of the mundane and mention love? Would you be able to recapture moments in each day when someone or something causes you to pause as if the scene is being rewound so you don’t miss the nuances of the experience? Like a fifteen year old defining his shyness from his perspective – not yours – looking out through his own eyes. Listening to a radio report about a quake in China and identifying with the children, parents, and grandparents and their grief. Witnessing sincere efforts at building communities of service that pull you from self-centeredness in whatever form and direction it takes.

Is telling about this life, sharing generously what you are inspired, graced to share, with those around you, and is your ability to share enhanced by the occasions when you witness the world you are in with compassion and deliberate, conscious action?

So suppose this day the angel of the Lord freed you from your sloth and directed you to tell the people everything about this life. What would you say once you took your place in their midst?

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 13, 2010

Scripture

There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. Acts 4:34-35

Prayer

Lord, my first thought upon reading this familiar verse was what happened? My second . . . are you kidding? Help me with this verse.

Response

Please note, these verses are not some not so subtle message to open your purse wider, but rather a description of a time when those who personally witnessed the events of the resurrection or knew someone who had responded in kind. What would you have done under the same circumstances?

So don’t skip over the verse for fear that your guilt will surface in the silence of this morning. Rather, allow, actually encourage, your heart to be filled with news of the resurrection as if you experienced, witnessed it – and you have and do each day.

Spend some quality time with that realization of the resurrection; don’t just rush off to the next phrase or task awaiting your attention. Now, what is your response to the events you witnessed? How do you in your life reflect this experience? As they say, there are no wrong answers – though no answer is not graded.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 12, 2010

Scripture

“The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."John 3:8

p>Prayer

Help me to wander in the Spirit.

Response

Isn’t interesting that this is one of the first mornings before dawn when the wind is not providing you a backdrop to your thoughts? In the silence you can even be more moved in the Spirit. You should know that in the Spirit you are self-propelled in how you meet the day and all that unfolds before you. Self-propelled in that you ride an energy that awakens to each activity, encounter that you meet in the day whether in person or through technology. Each decision with which you are faced is enlightened so to speak in that the outlines and ramifications are clear, or clearer, than earlier.

You become truly conscious and cannot recall when you were asleep – so alert have you become. This consciousness is discovered and affirmed in your quality of listening, discernment, interest, empathy and compassion. The wind of the Spirit stirs your very interior and you sense you are at the edge of a tall hill flying a kite – and you are that kite.

Experience the breath of the Spirit within, taking you to new heights of awareness and consciousness where the routine of life is hardly recognizable on the ground far below.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 11, 2010

Scripture

Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon's portico. None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them. Acts 5:12-13

p>Prayer

My attention was caught by the words none of the others.

Response

That’s the challenge – don’t allow yourself to be among none of the others – and how tempting that is from time to time. How comfortable it is to squirrel oneself in a crowd, though knowing better, feign ignorance, unawareness, or inattention. Thus you lose the precious moment to serve, listen to one in need of a witness, and extend yourself when weary. And what do you miss? Oh, yes, you miss a joy that rises from within and cannot be contained, a confirmation that emboldens one on the path – both you and the person served, a release from the hold on the material – whether it be perceived status or negligent matter.

Yes, don’t include yourself in none of the others. Be willing to appear odd among the conformists who dictate movement in declared and dull dance steps. Be eager to show up and risk in my Word. Meet in your own portico to bring peace and celebration in your midst wherever that might be.

I’m sure that you haven’t missed that the none of the others chose to miss the wave of excitement that churned through their environment, sweeping across the world in a holy wind. And here you sit. Be prepared to rush to the porticos this very day to witness these special happenings of resurrection.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 10, 2010

Scripture

Give thanks to the LORD, who is good, whose love endures forever. Psalm 118:1

p>Prayer

On this seventh anniversary of Donna’s passing, help me to sense your love most especially.

Response

This is a day to observe every step taken on your journey – every step. Encompass in this reflection all your actions, prayers, doubts, convictions, fears, joys, and aspirations. Take in the laughter, tears, and musings; the questions you have, the answers received, and above all the rich silence that surrounds. Bless your family and friends, the enduring friendships formed and sustained. And bless the life that still courses in your veins.

This is a day of remembrance – a day to give thanks for a full and gracious life with a once constant companion who helped to nudge you to the place that you now stand at the edge of the sea.

Yes, give thanks to the LORD, who is good, whose love endures forever.

All for this morning in this season of the resurrection.

Meditation – April 9, 2010

Scripture

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We also will come with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:3

Prayer

In the midst of Christ’s appearances, the apostles go fishing.

Response

No greater lesson is contained in this verse than get about your business because it is there that you will find me. There are those who sit paralyzed who wait for the next appearance, to confirm once again and then again the resurrection in their lives. Here you see Peter going fishing and it is then that Christ appears. The lesson is, you find me in the market place of your life as you go about performing responsibilities for which you are gifted. Peter learned that his skills as a fishermen prepared him to haul in a catch of a different sort and with no less enthusiasm.

So what is your passion? That is where you will meet me at a distance directing, gracing you, as I prepare at the same time a respite to nourish you on the shore. Peter was doing what he knew best; what do you know best? What stirs you alive as the thunder rumbling deep outside your window with flashes of lightening? Don’t be surprised if it is something for which you can’t earn enough to support yourself but provides the creative surge that propels you out of the boat in acknowledgement of the grace poured over you as the rain in a spring storm.

In the midst of your day and all the tasks awaiting your attention, remind yourself to go fishing, to plumb the depths under my direction; it might be in communicating with someone forgotten close, addressing a social issue ignored, composing thoughts to share with a loved one; and yes a prayer for those in need or suffering violence qualifies as well.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 8, 2010

Scripture

But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Luke 24:37-38

Prayer

Sometimes the historical perspective keeps me from being startled. Startle me this morning.

Response

When you succeed in parting all the cobwebs of distraction that rule your life, you are startled and almost tempted to look over your shoulder to ensure that no one has caught the look on your face. And yes, there are times when you were terrified like leaping from an aircraft for the first and maybe even second time. Can you recall instances when you suffered severe loss and for a time were terrified at the thought – yes thought in the mind – that what you accepted of life eternal might be simply an empty rumor of the mind – again the mind?

So how are you different from the apostles and disciples gathered in fear to be confronted by the risen Christ? Isn’t it time to embrace these words of the resurrection as the only reality you know in your heart; to hear the words, again in your heart, as recounted, spoken to you this very moment? And isn’t it time to address his question, why are you troubled? Or perhaps, he is asking, why are you still troubled?

For today, let go of all reservations and unvoiced doubts that have found a place in some darkened corridor in your heart and be present to his words as if spoken to you personally and directly. Listen intently to his response as if your life depended upon it – and it does.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 7, 2010

Scripture

While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. The watchman called out to the king and reported it. The king said, "If he is alone, he must have good news." And the man came closer and closer. 2 Samuel 18:24

Prayer

Sustain me, Lord, as I wait – sometimes alone.

Response

It is in the early hours when all is still that my presence is most manifest. How you ask? In the whisper of the Spirit that subsumes you in its embrace. The echoing of silence in your ears dulls all distractions from your mind and stirs the heart to travel deep, along corridors familiar though forgotten at times in your haste.

See in this verse the wait, the vigilance, the search for signs, but most of all acceptance of what is delivered – news of victory and loss. How to comprehend the texture of life except in the threads woven under and over, dark and light, rough and smooth to create a tapestry worthy to be hung in the king’s banquet hall?

Alone, catch the footfall of the messenger; hear the words spoken in the stillness; respond from the heart – no pretense, simply the authentic murmurings of this solitary watchman peering through the shadows of the night. Ah, in this instance, you have an example of listening in prayer.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 6, 2010

Scripture

Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:38-39

Prayer

Let me take in this promise.

Response

Take in the scope of these verses. First, wake up, become conscious. Take responsibility for your transgressions both in action and what in your lassitude you fail to respond. How many times have you remained sitting and did not object to injustice, perhaps saying, what could one person do? Look at transgressions as violations of the spirit – your spirit.

Become conscious to my voice. It is quite natural and right to ask forgiveness for a less than gracious response to injustice, for committing a deliberate act to secure your own satisfaction however it is disguised, or indulging in self-pity and blaming circumstances or others for your sorry plight.

Don’t labor over the above descriptions, or seek instances or justifications when you were the injured party. Rather accept your own transgressions and seek forgiveness; not as some rote, dictated practice, but rather as a sincere, heart-felt confession – self-examination – for the purpose of being transformed into the light in the gift of the Holy Spirit. You will know the difference of this forgiveness in the depth and resolution of your transformation – and of course your awakened state of consciousness.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 5, 2010

Scripture

I bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my heart exhorts me. I keep the LORD always before me; with the Lord at my right, I shall never be shaken. Psalm 16:7-8

Prayer

Help me to break the boundary of night and day in your presence.

Response

You are coming to see that the boundaries of day and night are arbitrary. Think of the prayer uttered in the middle of the night before returning to sleep. It is difficult to determine when the prayer ceased and sleep resumed. This is not a call to insomniacs, rather an appreciation that your heart exhorts you even in the darkest night of the soul.

The psalmist is offering himself as a guide to remind you to keep the LORD always before you. He is risen – and for you especially. All is in order in your life; everything in balance, the timing of your world has never been more calibrated to eternal intention, despite the sorrows, loss, failing health, that you or loved ones might experience.

You are summoned to abandon the tomb of doubt and embrace the freedom bestowed in grace and love upon you this day. Christ is risen. Truly, He is risen.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 4, 2010

Scripture

One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?" Luke 24:18

Prayer

Show patience with me when I don’t get it – though I think I have.

Response

In the recounting of life experiences one discovers what holds significance for you, and this is so even if you are alone or describing events and the audience is not paying attention. Blessed are you if you have intimate partners, close friends, and family who are interested, ask questions. However, understand that these experiences that might have occurred longer ago than you thought you would have lived, or yesterday, hold a message for you to decipher.

What would it take for you to realize that all that you have experienced in life are not made up of random coincidences to dismiss, but signposts to a deeper truth? You all need someone to ask you where have you been and why, just like Celopas was asked on the road to Emmaus. And don’t dwell on what you term tragedy and loss, but include celebration and family reunions. All are cause for you to stretch, or to be stretched depending upon your state, in my grace.

Spend a moment in reflecting upon three events in your life that you would term significant and estimate the stretch that followed. Perhaps, you can acknowledge emerging compassion, commitment, forgiveness, joy, or love. That is what Jesus did on the road and does so this moment, either directly or through attentiveness of those around you. Consider your answers to your inquisitive traveling companion on your road to Emmaus.

All for today.

Meditation – April 3, 2010

Scripture

We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. Romans 6:4

Prayer

Speak of newness of life.

Response

With this verse, you are asked to sense freedom as if you have shed a weighty garment, a garment burdened with doubt, hesitancy, confusion, and puzzlement. In your emptiness you invite my presence; you become for the first time conscious, awake where no distraction can dilute my words to you. All that previously caught your attention to distraction cannot be remembered.

This new life is like an endless field ready for planting in an early spring. The rain of sorrow is absorbed quickly and fully into the soil of your life. New life is discovered in the love that embraces you in those you touch generously and without favor. In the light of this dawn you are blessed beyond measure and see as if your vision is restored.

Reflect upon the deep healing you receive in all aspects of your life; how you are born anew in faith and love. Register in your heart the blessing sto which you have become heir this very day. Rejoice in the newness of your life.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 2, 2010

Scripture

So shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it. Isaiah 52:15

Prayer

Allow me to appreciate more fully what I receive in your grace.

Response

At this season, especially this week, and most especially this day, you are startled, overwhelmed by the eagerness of those who anticipated in grace his appearance and suffering, and by those who witnessed his suffering. You can understand the life changing events he set in motion and from which you will never recover so to speak. Whether as a witness or someone who heard and pondered his word, each of you can never be the same.

Reflect as the king who stands speechless. Be the one who ponders for the first time the deepest meaning to words that might have been all too familiar up until now. Hear in the silence beyond the annual sermons, erudite texts, or even casual references echoing in the corridors of the mind.

Be the witness to these events unfolding in your life that have the deepest meaning for you beyond a weather pattern, a health, age or wealth status, or a political or economic forecast. The Passion has everything to do in representing his love for you. For these next days, be especially aware of his love as manifested in your life, in those around you and those quite distant, and ponder the affect it has made on who you are becoming.

All for this morning.

Meditation – April 1, 2010

Scripture

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty." Revelation 1:8

Prayer

How many times must I read this line to accept unquestionably this truth in my life?

Response

You begin with the I Am in your life. No need to try to address the historical perspective, or even a projection into the future. For you today, the waves heard in the distance in the darkness, all you have to do is to hear that sound as a chorus of the Almighty, proclaiming his presence in your life – this very minute.

There are times when the resounding presence, as the constant rush of the ocean, paradoxically underlines what seem to be loneliness and the silence within even emptiness. It is at such times when you are invited to let go of memories of the past and any apprehensions of the future, and allow yourself to be filled with his presence. It is at such times your prayer is silent, reflecting the awe of the moment. Be struck dumb as you repeat in your heart the verse.

What more is there to do except accept the declaration in your presence from the Lord God, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty?

All for this morning.