HOPE: Week One - Advent Guided Meditation

“A virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call him Emmanuel, God with Us.” 

Isaiah 7:14

Centuries before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah told of this coming, told of the virgin giving birth to "God with Us." Such words stirred hope within the Jewish people. They held these words like a torch to light the way for the coming Messiah as the fullness of time drew near.

·       I begin my meditation in an inner posture of gratitude for the hope, the torch, and the truth of Jesus coming to show me "God with Us."... I breathe in the name, “God with Us…”  I breathe out the prayer, "God with me…" and I simply rest in this name. I repeat this breath prayer as I release other distractions, returning again and again to this name if my thoughts wander.

·       As I open my mind, heart and spirit to God’s presence, I become aware of any aspects of my life where I experience loss, grief, despair, or darkness, and I offer this to God right now asking for the grace of hope to brighten the dark places within.

·       I express to God (in thought or written word, song or other expression), my longing for wholeness, restoration, or comfort.

·       In coming to this place of hope, I spend a quiet moment imagining God with me in the midst of my situation, environment, relationships, and I rest in the peace of casting all my cares and all possible outcomes into this Holy presence.

·       As I close my time of meditation, I simply listen for wisdom, insight, or flames of hope arising within me from this Emmanuel time.

·       I take a moment to return my awareness to my present surroundings and offer a prayer of thanksgiving, ready to receive the blessing found in this place.

Blessing

May "God with Us" grace the seconds, minutes, and hours of this day and

bless you with an abiding awareness of Divine presence surrounding you,

sending roots of hope deep within you to strengthen, stabilize, and soothe your soul.

Amen