Prayer for Right Disposition toward Others Dear Lord, Take out of our hearts all bitterness, hatred, and even indifference, unconcern, as it respects others. Help us to feel kindly toward others, to be sincerely interested in their welfare and happiness. The Lord Jesus was interested in everybody, wanted to help everybody, felt kindly toward everybody. … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “Prayer for Others”
Category: Contemplative Corner
Song of Solomon 2:8-12You tap at the window of my heart.You knock at the door of my busyness.You call out in my night dreams.You whisper in my haphazard prayer.You beckon. You invite. You entice.You woo. You holler. You insist:“Come! Come into my waiting embrace.Rest your turmoil in my easy silence.Put aside your heavy bag of … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “Song of Solomon”
Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of God. It is kindled within us when the Spirit of God touches our human spirit. In worship we experience, feel, and know the resurrected Christ in the midst of the gathered community. God seeks, draws, and persuades us to come into God’s … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “Spiritual Discipline of Worship”
In prayer we enter into an abiding, intimate relationship with God. The practice of prayer guides us to “Draw near to God and God will draw near to you” (James 4:8). The deepest and highest work of the human spirit occurs during real, life changing, life creating prayer. Prayer is the place of admitting our … Continue reading Contemplative Corner -“The Spiritual Discipline of Prayer”
Meditation is the ability to hear God’s voice and obey God’s word. To practice meditation is to seek to know God more deeply and experience God’s deep, patient and abiding love for us. In meditation we create the emotional and spiritual space which allows Christ to construct an inner sanctuary within our hearts. There our … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “The Spiritual Discipline of Meditation”
Despite the explosion of technology with which we consume ourselves, we have come to a glaring and crucial reality, none of our gadgets can overcome the destructive habits and emptiness that lives deep within. No technology can produce the character transformation we so desperately need. Do you yearn for a deeper, richer inner life? Is … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “Why Practice Spiritual Disciplines?”
When the New Year begins, we often make resolutions to change our lives in one way or another. We are determined and resolute to achieve a purpose; a choice or action in effort to solve some problem. Often a resolution is a personal determination upon a course of action, method, or procedure to improve ourselves. … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “Becoming a New Creation”
I’m one of those empty nest mothers who still yearns for her son. Since he was an infant my spiritual life has been further transformed. This past year I spent my days recovering from my grief over my mom’s passing and taking a study course on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. In the … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “What Child is This?”
GOD SO LOVED US On the fourth Sunday of Advent we celebrate God’s love – an unconditional love that was freely given to all of us. Love was the focus of God’s plan of salvation. “For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love …” (Eph. 1:3-5). … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “Love”
For hundreds of years the church has anticipated the coming of Jesus during the season of Advent. The third week of waiting for his arrival invites us to receive his joy. The angels announced to the shepherds the good news of Jesus’ birth that would bring “good news of great joy to all people. (Lk … Continue reading Contemplative Corner – “Joy”