Recorded MP3 audio meditations: downloads and audio streams, written reflections and contemplative resources by Dorinda Miller

Written Reflections

Advent

The church year starts in November, with the season of Advent. It is a time of preparation as we wait for the King to come: remembering the historic anticipation of the birth of Jesus, and also acknowledging that the day will come when Jesus once again returns to earth.

Advent Advent – T

T for Travel

As we read through the Bible we see that travel is a recurring theme. From Abraham leaving Ur and setting out to travel to Canaan, the children of Israel leaving Egypt to travel to the promised land, to Jesus travelling around spreading the news of the Kingdom of God, to Paul and his missionary journeys which took him further a field and into other countries.

Travel features prominently in the Christmas story too; Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, the shepherds follow the angels’ advice to go to Bethlehem and the Kings travel from afar to see the new born King.

In our day and age many people travel during the Christmas season to visit family and friends. How do you feel about the journeys you will have to make over the coming weeks? Although this time is traditionally viewed as one of peace and goodwill as we prepare for, and then celebrate the birth of Jesus, for many people it can be fraught with busyness and stressful. Thank God that he knows your situation entirely and that he knows the people involved intimately, whether they know him or not. Lay before him your hopes and fears and listen to his perspective on them and seek his wisdom and insight into them. Imagine the preparations and celebrations and ask him how he may want to use you as a channel of his everlasting love/light/life and kindness?

Finally I would like to invite you to sit in a comfortable upright position and to close your eyes. In the quiet imagine you are breathing in God’s peace and love and life and breathing out any worry anxiety or concerns that you may have. Continue with this for five to ten minutes.

Prayer

“Where are you calling us to go, God? What risks are you asking us to take this Advent Season? What steps might we take, even hesitantly, in order to follow you? Speak to us God, speak to us. Amen”

(Thom M Shuman, The Jesse Tree, Wild Goose Publications 2005, p.14.)

Written by Dorinda Miller; © D Miller 2015. For full credits please see the site credits page

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Looking at the Heart