My journey...
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Silent Retreat
I have just recently signed up for a silent retreat. My first. I do not know what to expect but I have been trying by myself to have times of silent and it is such a discipline. Maybe that is why it is recommended in the book of "Spiritual discipline". It should be a lifestyle more than a discipline.
Being silent and meditating upon Him and His word creates an environment where we come closer to Him and that is what I long to do. Be a Mary in this Martha world. As someone has put it.
Being silent and meditating upon Him and His word creates an environment where we come closer to Him and that is what I long to do. Be a Mary in this Martha world. As someone has put it.
Joyce Hugget once wrote:
"Christian meditation has nothing to do with emptying our minds. Christian meditation engages every part of us -our mind, our emotions, our imagination, our creativity, and, supremely, our will."
Choosing to meditate and to be silent is to actually fill oneself with and to be intimately attached to the object of your meditation. Not like how the new ager would meditate - freeing one's mind for nothingness. In the book of Joshua, it tells us to "meditate on His word day and night so that we may be care careful to do everything written in it. Then we will be prosperous and successful." So that scripture becomes ingrained in us. So that it draws us closer to God.
"We bask in the warmth of his love. We feel his gaze on us. He fills us afresh with his Spirit. We receive a new perspective on life - his perspective. We draw so close to his heart that we sense his concern for the world, and from our contemplation flows intercession as we catch his compassion for a hurting world."
Joyce Huggett
Joyce Huggett
So I shall be going to this silent retreat for 5 days. I am a bit excited. But I should not wait for retreats to mediate on Him and His word or be silent. Cultivating a culture that is not my own.
posted by Janelle at 10:48 PM
3 Comments:
Janelle - I hope you have a wonderful time on your retreat! I would love to take part in something like this sometime.
I agree totally that, "Christian meditation has nothing to do with emptying our minds." However, I do find it helpful to still my mind by relaxing and giving distracting thoughts over to Jesus. I wouldn't call this meditation though--the new-agers would stop with the calm and empty mind and call that meditating. :o) I see it as part of getting ready to meditate; filling my mind with God's word and contemplating it's application in my life is meditating.
Can I ask where you got the quotes from Joyce Hugget?
Worship Mindfully!
Ricky Spears
http://www.MindfulWorship.com
Hi Ricky,
Thanks for dropping by. Thanks for your comments. I came across the quotes when I was surfing the internet. I cannot remember where I found them or where I read it from. I am sorry. If I do come across it again, I will let you know?
Blessings to you. Janelle
You are only "a bit excited" about this. It's like a dream holiday in this very noisy world of ours. Make full use of it and enjoy yourself.
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