354 Be Rooted and Grounded in Love, A Guided Christian Meditation on Ephesians 3:17-21 with the Recenter With Christ app

I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina:

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:

Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate.

Bible verses for Meditation:

Ephesians 3

NIV

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

ESV

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Meditation on Scripture:

When we look at our lives and what we are unable to do we often feel discouraged. When we hear about our fallen nature, or think about our sin we can be tempted to feel shame or worthlessness. This scripture gives an amazing perspective. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is rooted in love. When we look at forgiveness as the outpouring of God's love it changes it. When repentance becomes an act of receiving God's love through grace, we can be transformed by God. Shame is not a necessary thing for those who love God. When we are rooted deep and wide in the love of Christ, our actions are motivated by living as God would want. Not out of fear but rooted in love. Love is the central theme of the gospel and it propels us forward even in the middle of events we never would have chosen. Sometimes it is long after these moments that we realize God's purposes

God is able to do more for us that we could ever really know to ask for. When we get through this life I am certain when we are standing in heaven with Christ that we will see the wisdom of what He allowed us to go through and we will see how He used those experiences to transform us in ways we never would have thought to ask for. He gives more abundantly than all that we ask or think. This is by way of His spirit working in us.

Then when we glorify God it is not to make us feel worthless but it is out of gratitude for him building us up in ways we never before had understood. Creating in us something greater than we ever could. His goodness may not be seen right away but in the end all creation will acknowledge the goodness of God to His children. Glory be to God for his unspeakable gifts, some of which we didn't even understand at the time.

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:

This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast

Updates:

Final Question: Why did God give you freedom of spirit?

Final Thought: There is a kind of authenticity we can learn from what Paul says here. Intimacy is more than physical, it is emotional and spiritual as well. As we learn to be one with God as it says in John 17 (as Ge is one with the father) we also are one with each other both in intimate relationships, friendships, families, and every other kind of relationship.

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