Meditations For The Metro

Today’s meditation comes from The Book Of Psalms in The Old Testament and from the writings of Leah Raeder, with music by Dreamware.

Passage: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. —Psalm 34:18

Perspective: Kintsugi is a pottery technique. When something breaks, like a vase, they glue it back together with melted gold. Instead of making the cracks invisible, they make them beautiful. To celebrate the history of the object. What it's been through. And I was just thinking of us like that. My heart full of gold veins, instead of cracks. ―Leah Raeder

Music: “Here With Me” by Dreamware

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Book Of Zechariah in The Old Testament and from the writings of Steve Maraboli, with music by Acreage.

Passage: God says, “I will refine people like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them.” I will say, “These are my people,” and they will say, “We have found God.” —Zechariah 13:9

Perspective: Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient. ―Steve Maraboli

Music: “Abandon” by Acreage

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Gospel Of Luke in The New Testament and from the writings of John Steinbeck, with music by Outside The Sky.

Passage: News about Jesus spread, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew from them, going to lonely places to pray. —Luke 5:15-16

Perspective: All great and precious things are lonely. —John Steinbeck

Music: “Mystic Wind” by Outside The Sky

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Gospel Of Matthew in The New Testament and from the writings of St. Augustine, with music by Falls.

Passage: The mouth reveals what the heart is full of. —Matthew 12:34

Perspective: Who can map out the various forces at play in one soul? I am a great depth, O Lord. The hairs of my head are easier by far to count than my feelings, the movements of my heart. —Saint Augustine

Music: “Mindfullness” by Falls

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Book Of First John in The New Testament and from the writings of Donald Miller, with music by Hale.

Passage: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. —1 John 1:8

Perspective: When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are. ―Donald Miller 

Music: “Flutter” by Hale

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Book Of Ecclesiastes in The Old Testament and from the writings of Lao Tzu, with music by Outside The Sky.

Passage: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. —Ecclesiastes 9:11-18

Perspective: Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. ―Lao Tzu

Music: “Open To Receive” by Outside The Sky

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Book Of Hebrews in The New Testament and from the writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky, with music by Makenna Susan.

Passage: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of of the One to whom we must answer. —Hebrews 4:13

Perspective: Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love. ―Fyodor Dostoevsky

Music: “Rivers” by Makenna Susan

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Gospel Of Matthew in The New Testament and from the writings of Christian Wiman, with music by A Thousand Words.

Passage: Those who humble themselves like a little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:4

Perspective: So long as your ambition is to stamp your existence upon existence, your nature on nature, then your ambition is corrupt and you are pursuing a ghost. ―Christian Wiman

Music: “For All Our Days” by A Thousand Words

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Book Of Philippians in The New Testament and from the writings of Shannon L. Alder, with music by Moments.

Passage: Do everything without grumbling and complaining so that you may be like pure, innocent children, shining like lights in the darkness. —Philippians 2:14-15

Perspective: Sometimes, it is how you shine in the darkness during other people's misery that is remembered more than anything you could have said or done when you have suffered just as much. ―Shannon L. Alder

Music: “Last Love” by Moments

Narrator: Ryan Phipps

Today’s meditation comes from The Book Of Colossians in The New Testament and from the writings of Peter Gabriel, with music by TAYME.

Passage: For in him all things were made: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. All things have were made through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all parts become one. —Colossians 1:16-17

Perspective: So we think we really live apart because we’ve got two legs, a brain, and a heart. We all belong to everything; to the octopus suckers and the buzzard’s wing, to the elephant’s trunk and buzzing bee’s sting. Stuff coming out, stuff going in, I’m just a part of everything. —Peter Gabriel

Music: “Family” by TAYME

Narrator: Ryan Phipps