The Bible gives us powerful imagery for us to use to shape how we see ourselves, including how we see our bodies. This kind of Christian meditation brings the transcendent experience of God into your mind and into your body so that you can replace anxiety, insecurity, stress and tension with the better and truer imagination of God’s infinite and intimate presence and love for YOU.

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Body Meditation

In a minute we’re going to meditate on John 13:4-11. But before that, let’s get your body in a good physical and spiritual disposition to meditate, so that you can recalibrate and re-integrate your body and mind with God’s infinite presence and intimate love for you right now in this moment.

If you’re able, lie flat on your back, or sit comfortably in a chair. Uncross your legs. And close your eyes, if you can.

And when you’re ready, begin by taking in deep breaths through your nose into your belly — intentionally making your belly rise with each breath intake. And then with each exhale, focus on letting all your muscles soften and let go of tension.

Say quietly to yourself, “Relax.”

Try to bring your mind’s awareness to feeling your entire body (all at once) feeling heavier — feeling your whole body just releasing and letting go of holding yourself up. 

This feeling is a sensation that you actually can FEEL. Like when your body feels cold — you feel that sensation inside your body. This is like that, although it’s a quieter sensation. You don’t have to do anything. Just focus your mind’s awareness on noticing and feeling this sensation inside your body of feeling your body letting go and dropping limp. 

Just focus your mind‘s awareness on feeling the sensation of your body relaxing. Feeling your body from within — feeling relaxed more and more.

Let’s take some time to focus your mind on specific parts of your body…

We take time to do this kind of body meditation to re-integrate your body with your mind and then we will meditate on and imagine and feel God’s word into your body to re-integrate your body with spiritual reality. 

…

Bible Meditation

Now let’s breathe spiritual life into your body meditation by adding in biblical meditation and imagination.

While keeping part of your attention always on feeling your body, let me read…

John 13:4–11 NIV

 4 [Jesus] got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”  8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

This is a narrative that Jesus intended with a LOT of imagery — imagination. So much of what Jesus did had literal actions/events with larger realities to imagine.

So imagine this — Jesus cleansing ALL of YOU as he went to the cross. Not just your feet but your hands and your head and every part of you! “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me,” Jesus says to you. “And you are clean.” 

Washing is an imaginative word. So is clean. New self. New creation. Sin completely removed. Washed away. A new self “raised with Christ” (Col 3:1). Even now. 

Imagine these images — this reality — into your body…

Remember…

1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV

…You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

The authority of Jesus. The Spirit within your body (1 Cor 6:19).

Remember…

Hebrews 10:19, 22 NIV

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Meditate on this imagery. Use your imagination to feel this imagery/reality into your body. You’re renewing how your mind sees your body — YOU.

Timestamps:

01:13 - 21:31 Body Meditation

21:38 - 30:06 Bible Meditation: John 13:4-11

30:20 - 32:22 Prayer

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Our audio engineer is Diego Huaman.

This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.