Meditation #2

This is a set of meditations we did for a cell group.
Try reading one exercise at a time and doing it before you read the next bit.
You might want a kitchen timer or similar so don't get distracted by looking at your watch.

1) Sit in silence for 1 minute.
Don't pray, just sit still and be aware of the presence of God.

2) For 1 minute pray quietly in tongues
(we had to pray in our heads so not to distract the others in the group, but if you are on your own you can pray quietly aloud)

3) For 1 minute meditate on the phrase "God is good"

Before you go onto the next exercises, consider how easy you found it to just be quiet. Was it easier to speak in tongues?
How much did you get from the third exercise?
Were you able to stop thinking about worries and other distractions.
Were you surprised by how much you could get out of 1 minute?
Or by how hard you found it to concentrate for 1 minute?

4) Read the Psalm below.
Pick just 1 line to meditate on for just 5 minutes.
Jot down any thought/comments in the margin

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord is God!
It is he that made us, and we are the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him, bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

When you have done this, stop to consider how you got on.
Did you find it easier being able to write things down?

5) Pick 1 of these Celtic prayers and meditate on it for 10 minutes.
Again jot down notes in the margin that inspire you.

I give my work to you, Lord.
I give my work to you.

I give my plans to you, Lord.
I give my plans to you.

I give my hopes to you, Lord.
I give my hopes to you.

I give my dreams to you, Lord.
I give my dreams to you.

I give my life to you, Lord.
I give my life to you.

I give my love to you, Lord.
I give my love to you.

Keep me true to you, Lord.
Keep me true to you.

In all I say and do, Lord.
In all I say and do.

Help me to serve you, Lord.
Help me to serve you.

O Lord God, Creator of all
Open my eyes to beauty
Open mymind to wonder
Open my ears to others
Open my heart to you

In the quiet of the morning,
In the new day that is dawning,
Thy Kingdom come.

In my waking and my dressing,
in my life and it's progressing,
Thy Kingdom come.

In this moment for the taking,
Un the things that I am making,
Thy Kingdom come.

In the people I am meeting,
In each one I shall be greeting,
Thy Kingdom come.

In my tasks and my employment,
In my leisure and enjoyment,
Thy Kingdome come

All day, until its very ending,
Praise to You I shall be sending,
Thy Kingdom come.

Once you have done these meditations you might like to print off these Celtic prayers, or similar short Psalms or prayers to pin on your wall where you will see them often.
Then you can easily pray and ponder as you go through the day, and so train your mind to gain holier thought tracks!

I really enjoyed doing these meditations with a group so we could share what we found and what we got from the different exercises as we went through them.