012 How to Become like a Child before God Matt 181-4 Guided Christian Meditation Podcast

    Although not universally positive, children possess so many admirable traits.  When I watch my kids pray for others, forgive after disagreements, and most of all when I see their faith, I am moved. Children have an amazing capacity to love. As we learn to be in communion with the spirit of God, we are able to absorb and integrate the most positive traits of Children, while turning away from the negative.  In this meditation we are going to spend some time thinking about this, and how it applies to our life journey as we seek to live by the word of God. Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization I invite you to get comfortable for 20 minutes, without driving or doing chores, but focusing exclusively on the message God has for you. If you feel safe to do so, close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: How to relax and how to meditate: Take stock of your breathing first.  Instead of trying to force the world out, become a curious observer.  Allow your focus to become soft.  If you notice your mind wander bring it back to your breath.  Allow your muscles to unflex.  Breath deeply and allow the air to gently sweep over you.  Imagine that the inside of your body is becoming full of air.  With each passing breath you more it fills you deeper.  All of the tension drains out of you as you feel your attention resting on this air coming in.   Through the rest of this meditation let your attention gently rest on the message you find in scripture. As I read the following scripture continue to relax and breath deeply.  Allow your attention to focus on whatever message you see in this following scripture. Bible verse for meditation: Matt 18:1-4 NRSV 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What is the thing that stood out to you most in this scripture? What does this message mean to you? What is the most important part of you? What is the most important aspect of you? This scripture gives us a clue as to what parts of you God things are most important.  Somewhere deep inside of you there is the same person that was in your body when you were a child.  In God’s eyes you are still a child.  He invites us continually to be with him.  His constant message is “I want to be with you, do you want to be with me?” The things He loves and admires the most about you are wrapped up in the child part of your personality.  When is the last time that you have lived in this kind of innocence? Let the darkness of cynicism lift from your mind as you see yourself running and playing before the presence of the Lord. Imagine that all the negativity that surrounds your heart disappears. Take the lessons you have learned as you have matured as ask yourself: “Have they brought me closer to God or not?”  We learn how to be more critical, more secretive, put on more of a false persona.  We learn how to give up our childish ways to avoid being seen as a child to the world.   How can you be more like the little child that Jesus put before his disciples? How can you be more like the little child that Jesus put before his disciples? Lets pray to God and engage this question. As you take another deep breath continue allowing the muscles in your body to loosen, gently and continually bringing your mind back to the message of this scripture. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm As you start to sit in the feeling of the innocence of a child, Imagine the Love that God pours into you.  Sit silently with this feeling. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: Take the message that you gained from God’s word as you continue to allow his breath cleanse you. What message did you get from this scripture? Remember that you can use your own experience, reason, but more importantly scripture and the Spirit of God to bounce this idea off. I invite you to imagine how this message would play out in your life.  What behaviors would change if you lived your life, with the knowledge that this thing is true.  Imagine at least one specific thing that you could do today or tomorrow based on this message. Fully visualize this.  What would it look like in your life?  What positive things could you do, or what would happen around you, knowing that this thing was true? Visualize the change Conclusion: Thanks for joining me. I release a new episode every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. If you found this message useful please share it with people you care about.  You literally can contribute to someone feeling more peace today. I’ve been thinking about how to more fully engage with you all, as my listeners.  One way that I found is by reading a iTunes review each week.  If you want me to read your review, go to iTunes and write me a review you can subscribe to the podcast there also.  This message comes from tytynunwax it says: “My family and I look forward to this podcast every week.  We are sure to find peace as we listen to him guide us in a meditation and thoughts on a new scripture each week.  Then we end in healing prayer, ready to start our day with a clear mind full of God’s words.” Thank you for trusting me with the value of your sacred time. I feel honored you allow me into your home to share this scripture.  Feel free to listen to this meditation as many times as you need, until I release my next episode next week. I rejoice with you that you have invested it in relaxing and thinking on God’s words. I know that as you spend time with Him, you will feel more of His love.  I say that in Jesus Name amen.   FIND ME ON: iTunes ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist