830 Consecration to the Lord Based on Sacrifice, A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 2:22-24 with the Recenter With Christ app

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

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.
You can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tense 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

ESV
NIV
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."

KJV
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Reflection on Scripture:

I almost always record my episodes moments before posting them. If you ever see them posted at 2 or 3 in the morning that is because I just finished editing them. For the last couple weeks I have been sleeping in the desert with my Marines so I pre-recorded the episodes. This year the Christmas season somewhat snuck up on me because of this trip. I slept on the ground and in the cold in the dirt. Each time I am presented with these hardships it makes me so grateful for my blessings. Sometimes the things we do in life can challenge our focus or have us asking why things happen the way they do. From moments of discomfort, grief, anxiety, or temptation sometimes our small human minds find it difficult to feel seen by a perfect on loving God.

This scripture points out something. The sacrifice for two doves was an option in place of a sheep, which would have cost much more. The sacrifice of two pigeons was known as the offering for the poor. Mary, the mother of Jesus, the very Son of God offered the sacrifice of the poor. She and Joseph must have had very little by way of earthly assets. With that said, this was far from a judgment about their quality. Our struggles serve us well when they draw our attention to the Lord and our dependance on Him.

When hardship turns our focus to God and makes us more grateful, then that hardship becomes a blessing. Mary's poverty existed conjointly with her humility. Whatever you wished your life would have been, whatever you wished would be different about your family, or this season, or any other earthly outcome it does not change God's profound love. Actually if our human weaknesses point our focus to God then we are indeed blessed. Thank God for our struggle, may it ever draw our focus to Him. During this Christmas, don't focus on what made this season incomplete, allow any challenge to draw your attention to the one who redeems all. He has overcome the world, and as such so will we. Merry Christmas. God bless us, every one.

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?

FIND ME ON:
Download my free app: Recenter with Christ
Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com
Voicemail - (602) 888-3795
Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com
Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast
Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast
Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast
Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

ESV
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

828 But Mary Treasured Up All These Things, Pondering Them in Her Heart, A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 2:19-21 with the Recenter With Christ app

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

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.
You can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tense 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

ESV
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

KJV
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Reflection on Scripture:

Mary treasured these things, pondering them in her heart. She felt the kicks of the baby Jesus and her womb carried the Son of God. What amazing things she had to ponder in her heart. Some of it was the experience of bearing Jesus. She also saw heavenly messengers. She received messages that are written and likely had experiences that have not been recorded anywhere but in her heart. Imagine if a short book was written about your life, perhaps a few chapters. Do you think that could possibly reflect everything you thought or experienced?

Restrict it even further. Imagine writing a couple chapters about a vacation. You couldn't even capture everything from a simple human trip to a tourist spot. Imagine now an encounter with the divine. Imagine months and then years with the young Jesus. It is impossible to imagine what she pondered in her heart. What special unique blessings were meant just for her. Imagine her holding the damp child. Imagine her holding him in her arms. The feeling of responsibility resting on her of raising a child and not just any child but the very son of God.

Invariably you have had unique experiences meant just for you. Do we spend time to treasure them in our hearts and ponder them? Take the time now to think of the interactions with God that you have experienced. What ways has He touched your heart? How has God been present in your life?

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?

FIND ME ON:
Download my free app: Recenter with Christ
Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com
Voicemail - (602) 888-3795
Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com
Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast
Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast
Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast
Twitter - @ChristianMedPod