618 The Author and Finisher of Our Faith , A Guided Christian Meditation on Hebrews 12:1-3 with the Recenter With Christ app

The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.

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.

Scripture for Meditation

Hebrews 12 NIV

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

KJV 12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Meditation:

These last few weeks have been challenging for me. They have been demanding and have caused me to feel overwhelmed. We all have those moments where we can tell our own resources feel insufficient or that we haven't made the best decisions. We seek peace and yet the path before us is often not smooth and peaceful. There is a challenge in finding peace when the path before us requires us to run. More specifically to run with patience.

What is it that leads us to feel like things are going well? When do we consider that things are going well? When life is easy, or when we overcome through the strength God endows. As this scripture directly shows, we find this strength through Christ.

Several years ago I kept trying to get fit. Many times I had tried to run but I would go out on fast after not running for a long time and I would get hurt. One time I chose to run slower. I would run multiple times a week at such a low speed it felt that it wouldn't be enough to get fit but because of that, I ran consistently and frequently. During these runs my focus was not on my own abilities but in the act of running peacefully, perhaps even patiently. Within a few months I had dramatically increased my speed. Almost 5 full minutes on a mile and a half. When we run the race of life as though the outcome is based on our personal speed we avoid the very source of strength that makes a patient run possible. Jesus is the author or our peace but also the finisher. He is our pioneer. Allow him to create the story of your life and harness God's power to patiently follow the course he has marked out for us. Use this meditation as a moment to focus on God's role in the success of your race.

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:

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

Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?

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