Ordinary Time is the longest season of the Christian liturgical calendar. Let's pause and Seek God in this ordinary season. Let's allow ourselves to linger in the stillness of the present moment, open our hearts, and find God - right here in this moment.
What does it mean to seek God with our whole hearts in our everyday lives? Let's pause and ask that question together.
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Hi, this is Whitney and you're listening to Exploring Peace Meditations. You may or may not realize that these meditations are recorded in seasons as connected to the Christian calendar. As we near the end of this season in the liturgical year, this is the time called ordinary time and we're approaching the season of Advent. Often, we rush through the end of ordinary time to get to Christmas. I, too, love Advent and Christmas, but I invite you to stay right here with me an ordinary time a bit longer, and truly seek God in this season. Today, we'll practice that with Lectio Divina, or Sacred Reading. I'll invite you to hear a scripture passage and we'll walk through the stages together. I'll prompt you each time. So if you haven't already found your comfortable posture to listen, meditate, pray, talk to God, find that now.
Speaker 1:
The passage I've chosen for us today is an Old Testament passage, jeremiah 29, 13,. From the New Revised Standard Version. You may wish to close your eyes or gaze upon something in your space. Take a breath in through your nose and a long breath out. Relax your shoulders, soften your jaw, breathe fully and deeply, focusing on your exhale, and listen when you search for me. You will find me if you seek me with all your heart. Hear God speaking these words to you today when you search for me, you will find me if you seek me with all your heart. In the next few moments of quiet, just sit with this passage Now. Listen again and consider a word or a phrase, or maybe an image. You see God as you hear this being spoken to you. In the quiet that follows, you'll meditate on your word, phrase or image from the passage. Let whatever draws your attention draw your attention when you search for me. You will find me If you seek me with all your heart. Whatever draws your attention, sit with God in the quiet. Listen to the passage again and this time you will respond to what you're hearing in God's word. How does it make you feel to sit with these words in this season of ordinary time? What does it look like for you in your ordinary life to seek God with all your heart? Listen to the passage again and then respond in the quiet. Tell God what you're hearing, seeing or sensing. When you search for me, you will find me If you seek me with all your heart.
Speaker 1:
Listen to the passage again and then respond in the quiet. Listen to the passage again and then respond in the quiet, listen to the passage again and then respond, in the quiet as you listen, one final time to God's word spoken to you today. Rest in whatever you may have heard in the scripture, in the reflection questions, in the quiet, in God's whisper, on this ordinary day. What is God long for you to hear and rest in? When you search for me, you will find me If you seek me with all your heart. Receive any clarity God has for you Wisdom, insight, imagery, allow it to come to mind, rest in it and, in the quiet, give thanks to God for this word today.
Speaker 1:
Creator, god, thank you for helping us seek you in our ordinary days. Help us find you in this season, the season that might start to make us feel rushed or hurried. Remind us what it looks like to seek you with our whole hearts. Thank you for being present with us in this time of breathing and praying and meditating on your word. In your holy name we pray Amen. Thank you for exploring the gift of God's peace with me. If you're longing for more, more peace, more ways to seek God in your everyday, ordinary life, you can support the podcast and join other listeners like you at exploringpeacecom slash community. You can find me at whitneyrsimpsoncom. I'd love to hear from you Until next time. May God's peace be with you.