An Advent Pause: Hope

How are you purposefully embracing the gift of God's hope amid the hustle and bustle of the Advent season? Through this purposeful pause, centering, reflection, and deep breathing, we’ll savor God's promise of hope, found in Isaiah 40:31.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

Hi, this is Whitney. Welcome to Exploring Peace Meditations. This is one of my favorite seasons of the year. We are in the season of Advent on the Christian calendar. Advent is a sacred time of waiting, watching, preparing our hearts, our minds, for the arrival of Christ. So, amidst the busyness of this season, I invite you to take a moment with me to pause, reflect and center on the hope that we have in God, a hope that sustains us, a hope that renews us. So if this is your first time here, thank you for being part of our community. We are people who are exploring the gift of God's peace. You can find more about this podcast and how to be part of supporting it at exploringpeacecom slash community, and you can find my Advent book and other books at WhitneyRSimpsoncom. I'm so glad you're here Now, if you haven't already, find a spot in which you can center and breathe.

Speaker 1 1:27

Maybe you're seated in a meditation posture on the floor or in a chair. Maybe you make a shape with your body on your yoga mat, like child's pose or legs up the wall. Maybe you're outside enjoying nature and the beauty of God's earth around you. Wherever you are, I invite you to pause. What does it look like to pause your body for the next few moments, If it feels safe and okay. Close your eyes or lower your gaze. Invite your body into this pause. Give your body permission to relax, give your breath permission to deepen. Now place your hands in a posture of pause. Begin to notice your breath, feel the rise and fall of your chest and belly, and notice the rhythm, the rhythm of the breath moving in and out With each inhale. See and imagine that you are breathing in the word hope, that you are breathing in the word hope. See in your mind's eye the word hope and then imagine, with this next breath, that you fill your entire body with God's hope and with your next exhale, god's hope. Continue with this practice Full, deep inhalation, long, extended exhalation, receiving and sharing God's hope with each breath. And now listen to these words as you continue deep breathing in this purposeful pause Isaiah 40, 31 those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

Speaker 1 5:09

They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. Be one today who hopes in the Lord. With each breath that you breathe, allow God to renew you. Take a moment and see yourself Renewed by God, filled with hope.

Speaker 1 5:45

What might it look like for you to be filled with hope today? What might it look like for you to receive and share hope this Advent season with God? Pause and ask God to show you in your mind's eye, yourself filled with hope. Will you allow yourself to be filled to overflowing with God's hope this season, with a heart of gratitude, in the next few moments of quiet? Thank God for this gift, for the gift of hope, and savor it as you breathe.

Speaker 1 7:07

Most holy and loving God, thank you for the gift of hope. May we carry it forth with us, receiving your hope and sharing your hope, shining your hope like a light that cannot be extinguished. Let us be a reminder of your promises that Christ is born for us, that Christ is a gift of hope. In your holy name we pray Amen. As you return to your space from this purposeful pause, bring God's hope with you, let it surround you, fill you or out of you. Wiggle your fingers and your toes, blink your eyes open if they were closed, and see your space with a sense of God's hope. What do you notice? Now take a deep breath in and a long breath out. Thank you for exploring the gift of God's peace with me. I'm Whitney, and until next time may God's peace be with you.