Apr 12, 2020

222 Jesus Stay With Us A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 24:28-31

I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God.  By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina:

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:

Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate.

Bible verses for Meditation:

Luke 24:28-31
NIV
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 
29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

NRSV
28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 
29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

Meditation on Scripture:

This scripture occurs right after the resurrection. As these two people were walking along Jesus sneaks up on them and intentionally talks with them without them knowing it is Jesus. Perhaps this may not seem like the most direct Easter message. I trust that in your thoughts and prayers you have been considering the Passion narrative and the meaning of the resurrection. This reflection is meant to ask the question of why God chose to do it this way. The most glorious and important of events in all the history of the earth occurred in such a way that we only have ancient writings of people who summarized it years after the fact. Why?

Why are you living the life you are living right now? Why do you have the set of trials that you do? 

Why does God sneak into our lives and impart just enough hope to continue? 

I think this is tied to the very purpose of life in general. Why we were born on earth was not an accident. There is a deep purpose to your life. God knows it. As you spend time walking with him on your own road to Emmaus then you gain glimpses of His love and teachings. Keep walking the path. No matter how many dark days or confusing moments keep walking and searching for the purpose God has put into you. Cocider this purpose now. 

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:
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Updates:

Final Question: How can you continue to search out God’s purpose for you?

Final Thought: When we realize the bizarre nature of life and how much suffering it can contain, we can be tempted by being satiated by the true and easy answer that our purpose is what God tells us our purpose is. As we read scripture many people will declare to know what God’s purpose is for you. They may be totally right, but I think part of what this scripture teaches us is that God will walk with us and guide us in extremely unobvious ways. When we find the answer that our lives are meant to glorify Him, we can continue to grow spiritually by searching for how to do that. As we continue to live with integrity in our faith and understanding of God’s commands this can be a deeper purpose. Learning what it means to be challenged and still choosing him is of value. There are thousands of other lessons we learn that are more complex than the answers you would give a child about God’s purposes for you. In this time of chaos realize that God has a purpose for you now. I don’t think the specific nuance of it is meant to be clear from birth to death. It is meant to be a personal road to Emmaus. Keep searching, keep living the faith, keep receiving God’s grace as you work toward the highest ideals that He has for you. 

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