466 All Have The Same Breath, A Guided Christian Meditation on Ecclesiastes 3:18-20 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:

ESV 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. 19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

NABRE 18 I said in my heart: As for human beings, it is God's way of testing them and of showing that they are in themselves like beasts. 19 For the lot of mortals and the lot of beasts is the same lot: The one dies as well as the other. Both have the same life breath. Human beings have no advantage over beasts, but all is vanity. 20 Both go to the same place; both were made from the dust, and to the dust they both return.

Meditation:

This scripture addresses the aspect of our humanity that is animalistic. Sometimes when we hear of scientific analysis of humans being animals we resist. We remember scripture that calls us children of God. Yet this scripture points out an incredibly valuable thing. Without God and His spirit all is pointless. With God's influence to redeem and purchase us, we have infinite worth as children of God.

When I address deep breathing, or relaxation in this podcast it is with this in mind. Relaxation is not saving us. It doesn't purge our sin. It can, however, help us get out of God's way in showing us a better way. For example I was reading a book called the oxygen advantage. The book outlines how breathlessness is almost always not a shortage of oxygen but an overabundance of CO2. Oddly enough CO2 in our blood dilates our veins as well; it chemically helps oxygen travel to the brain, organs and muscles. So the point is to learn to do breath holding exercises to get better at managing higher levels of CO2 in the blood to help us stay oxygenated and more calm. None of that will change the content of your soul. It is valuable in fitness and reduction of anxiety but will not take away our sin.

So the moral of the story is that we can manage that part of us that is similar to the animals but we should learn to rely on God to cleanse our soul as we draw near to our Savior. May we have success firstly in joining with Christ, then learning tricks and tips to help our earthly experience be calmer and avoid all the suffering we can.

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 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:

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Updates:

Final Question: How can you live consistent with the cleansing power God offers you?

This week I performed a funeral for a family from Africa. The amount of family that was physically present was not that large but there were many friends who were just as close as family in some ways and their presence and comfort was amazing.

Final Thought:

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