232 Your Life’s Value and God’s Whole Purpose A Guided Christian Meditation on Acts 20:24-27

232 Your Life’s Value and God’s Whole Purpose A Guided Christian Meditation on Acts 20:24-27

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:

NRSV
24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.

ESV
24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Meditation on Scripture:

Purpose is something that can bridge the disconnect between human frailty and the love of God. This is perhaps one of the more important truths we need to learn as we navigate life. The way in which we hold the value of our life is profoundly important. If we hold our lives of too high an importance we may miss the purposes God has for us and act selfishly. If we hold our lives of too little importance, without proper focus, we can loose purpose and be vulnerable to abuses in this life. This scripture provides a strong statement that may be misinterpreted to be careless about the sanctity of life. That doesn’t seem to be Paul’s intent.

I have talked with people in the hospital who experienced death and then came back. Although I have many unanswered questions about these experiences, the very often filled people with Godly purpose for years afterward. If we could see into our future reunion with God I am confident we would feel this same purpose. For now we are left to look forward to that reunion in faith. God loves you profoundly and wants you to trust him and then apply the gifts he has given you, to better your life and those around you as much as possible. The Gospel of the Love of God does not require us to feel horrible about ourselves, in fact rightly interpreting our fallen condition can fill us with joy and gratitude that God chooses to love us. You can be fallen and flawed while being lifted up and loved by God at the same time.

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: What is the value of your life?

Final Thought: This week has been an extremely intense emotionally taxing week in my ministry. I have come head to head with the struggles of others regarding the purpose of life in the midst of suffering. I can promise you that God has his perfect purposes which will be fulfilled. He blesses us with the ability to follow the path he has laid out and regardless of our fallen nature and our nearly constant sin, he has decided there is something greater for us. His hope for us that is higher than what we are currently living. The way to do that is by trusting him, and then developing our spiritual strength and maturity. Unfortunately, oftentimes, that comes through suffering and hardship. Despite the temporary nature of life, it has profound eternal purpose. I feel that meditating on the word of God can help reveal that purpose to our hearts.

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