The Daily Still - Guided Christian Meditation, Reflection, and Devotionals

Today we are pleased to offer a special guest meditation by author Rick Hamlin, long-time editor and contributor to Guidepost Magazine. Rick shares with us an example of a personal meditation time, as he invites us to join him on a journey to quiet our minds. His new book "Even Silence is Praise" is out now and focuses on quieting the noise and awakening your soul with Christian Meditation. Rick offers stories and prompts to help us hear God's still, small voice above all the noise around us. For more on Rick, visit rickhamlin.com. Social media @Rick_Hamlin and @Evensilenceispraise. Bible Reference: Psalm 65:1-4 CEB. Thank you for listening to The Daily Still. Connect with us @TheDailyStill

In this episode, host Cindy Helton guides us through a meditation on Psalm 105 TPT. Psalm 105 - God's Wonderful Works, is a call to the people of God to worship and honor HIm. Therefore, it is a call to us! As you engage your whole body, soul, mind and spirit in conversation with the Holy One, allow all of your senses to be open to the Divine creative work taking place within you. You may find that these moments of stillness are the most healing and productive moments of your day. So take several slow, deep breaths, and let's settle in and begin.

Welcome to Season 6 of The Daily Still Podcast - Pondering the Psalms. Here we create space to listen for the whispers of God. Each Monday, host Cindy Helton leads you through a devotional style meditation focusing on a Psalm. We hope you'll find this a welcoming atmosphere as we quiet the noise around us and within us. The Book of Psalms documents the lives and events of real communities and ordinary people in the daily of life, expressing a myriad of emotions. And it reminds us, we can confidently share all of our feelings with God too. This week we focus on Psalm 46 TPT - entitled "God on Our Side." The Psalmist boldly declares God is always with us. He is our refuge in times of trouble. God, the Most High, makes his dwelling place with his people. In verse 10, God speaks. "Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God." This Psalm shows us a beautiful example of a two-way relationship with our Creator, demonstrating an outpouring of the Psalmist's heart and a posture of listening. Your journey to becoming more calm and peace-filled begins as you say "yes" to God's invitation to be still and know Him. So we invite you to settle in and give God your full, undivided attention. As you engage your whole, body, soul, mind and spirit in conversation with the Holy One, allow all of your senses to be open to God's creative work taking place within you. You may find these moments of stillness are the most healing and productive moments of your day. Connect with us on social media @thedailystill

Today's encore meditation focuses on the God of Peace.

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. I Thessalonians 5:23

God of Love

Join us as we meditate upon the attribute of God's great love.

Meet us in these moments O God… Quiet our hearts. Let us become aware of our great need for you; And for Your great love for us. Your love invaded the world through your beloved Son. In Christ we find Your love and acceptance.

"God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us!" - 1 John 4:9-10

God of Creation

"In the beginning…God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

As we meditate upon the Names and attributes of God, we see the beauty and AWE in the multi-faceted nature of who God is. He speaks to us through His names.

The practice of Christian meditation is a sacred practice allowing us space to reflect on God's Word as we listen for His holy whispers. The first name of God in the Bible is Creator. The book of Genesis is a poetic song of creation. God spoke, and it came to be.

"God is forever seeking to Speak Himself out to His creation… He is by nature continuously articulate. He fills the world with His speaking Voice." A. W. Tozer

God of Blessings - Encore Meditation

The Bible teaches us that all blessings come from God. When we praise God and thank Him for our blessings, we affirm that He is the One from whom all blessings flow. The discipline of praise helps us live in the intimacy of God's Presence.

Doxology – Written by Thomas Ken, 1674 (Performed by artist J.Lauren @jlaurenmusic)

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him, all creatures here below

Praise Him, above the heavenly host

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3 NIV

"Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life: I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." Psalm 146:1-2 NIV

As we settle into a new year, let us meditate upon these words from the prophet Isaiah…Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength. Isaiah 40:31NLT

Where are you placing your hope?

Your circumstances may not have changed with the turning of the calendar. You may be feeling anxious that life seems out of control. Be reminded that God is in control. He never changes with circumstances. He always offers us fresh hope.

With open hands, join us as we let go of the things that weigh us down so we can take hold of Christ.

Today we have a special musical Christmas meditation, featuring holiday songs from the artist J. Lauren, who happens to be host Cindy Helton's daughter and The Daily Still Podcast producer!

Come let us celebrate the mystery and hope of Jesus - God with us. Joy for all people! And heaven and nature sing! Merry Christmas and we look forward to returning with new meditations in 2022!

J.Lauren's Christmas album, "Merry Christmas (Love, J.Lauren)" is out wherever you listen to music!

Listen to J.Lauren's music here

Connect with J. Lauren on Instagram @jlaurenmusic and connect with The Daily Still @thedailystill

Verse references: Luke 2:10-11 – "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Matthew 2:10 – When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 1 Chronicles 16:27 – Honor and majesty surround Him; strength and joy fill His dwelling. Psalm 70:4 – God, may all who search for You be filled with joy and gladness in You

We invite you to join us this Advent season as we reflect upon the goodness of God. Today we add our voices to Mary's Song of Praise in Luke 1 of the Gospels. So find a quiet place, light an advent candle, and become aware of God's tender gaze upon you. Breathe in His Presence. Scripture reading is a compilation of scripture versions taken from Luke 1:46-54. NLT, MSG, NIV Lamentation 3:22-26 NIV Jeremiah 31:3 NIV