Become – Silence and Solitude- Meditation – Stephen Orr 18/04/21

Kingdom Kids Activity

Click here for Psalm 23 Meditation Activity

Changed by Meditation

We live in a noisy world where distraction is normal, and it is damaging our relationship with God, taking us away from his word.

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” (Blaise Pascal)

It is not possible for someone to tell you what or how to do this habit of silence and solitude, everyone is different. We can only guide and direct, but the one thing we can be assured if is that as we take times of silence and solitude it will help us to become more like Jesus. As we saw last week Jesus prioritised it. 

“Jesus does not call us to do what he did, but to be as he was, permeated with love. Then the doing of what he did and said becomes the natural expression of who we are in him.” (Dallas Willard, in ‘The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God’)

In Psalm 1 we see this picture of the blessed person the happy person.
They are not distracted to walk in the way of those who rebel against God.
The blessed person, the happy person, delights in and meditates of God words.

We all meditate on something

What is it for you?

Meditation is a invitation to know God more

In meditation we are growing into what Thomas a Kempis calls ‘a familiar friendship with Jesus.’ (Richard Foster, in ‘Celebration of Discipline’)

John 15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.

Meditation changes us

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.

Read through Colossians 3 and Romans 12:1-2, and note the difference living because of and for Jesus makes our lives.

Eugene Peterson called the Bible “a book that reads us even as we read it.”

Tool to help us:

Lectio

2 Tim 2:7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

• Read 
• Think
• Pray
• Live 

Live. You can read, I think, and pray all day, but unless you live in gods word as well, you miss the point. The Bible says, “so also faced by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17). If you have taken God’s word to heart and truly made it part of you, it will buy it very nature change you. And when it does, you will find yourself cold to act. There will come a time when God takes you to the end of yourself then asks you to go further. He wants you to put yourself at his disposal, to go and do what he asks even the impossible. When that time comes, you will need the word he has seared on your heart to give you comfort and strength. This is the abundant life (see John10:10). (From the Introduction to the ‘Solo Bible’)

Memorisation

Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

God uses Silence and Solitude and changes us through Meditation

Apply

This week take some Silence and Solitude to meditate of these Psalms.

Psalm 119:97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.

Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Prioritise time each day for Silence and Solitude and meditate of Scripture, you may start small, 10 minutes a day, it is important that you start somewhere.

What have I found interesting? 

What has challenged my life, attitudes and actions? 

How would this habit help me to become more like Jesus?

How would this habit help me to introduce others to Jesus?

What practical steps do I need to take to incorporate this habit into my life?

Is there there anything I need to pray about, explore further or extra help I need?

Is there someone I should to share with, pray with or encourage