Christian Meditation?

I have taken ill... pray for me.


This is a bit of a bummer, but Since the Lord is on my side, my quest towards betterment will continue. Quite a bit has happened since the last post, and I am constantly praying that I may keep an attentive ear to the Lord so that I may grow in wisdom and faith. I have finally sat myself down to read the book Celebration of Discipline, by Richard J. Foster, and so far my analysis of the book is quite positive, which would be a shock to anybody in my Evangelism class, since most of the time, I just pick those books apart to find fault in them.

The book is a rather interesting discussion of Spiritual Disciplines, and I am taking my time with the book, though it is a fairly simplistic read. I finished the section on Meditation, and I have to say that I am already very encouraged by the book. After discussing the need for meditation and how one does not have to be one of the Religious Elite, whose names will be heard in theological history until the second coming, in order to be a strong practitioner of meditation, all it really takes is desire and commitment. Discussing the difference in purposes between Christian meditation and the meditation of commonly thought of Eastern Religions, Foster shows that where the Eastern religions work to attain separation from the world to seek oneness with a false pretense of the world, Christians meditate to be more firmly planted in the world, shining the light of Christ. He pointed out that Christ, and many well respected biblical characters, had often searched for personal refuge and time alone with the Almighty. I was then encouraged when he described the many methods by which people have meditated and gained a better relationship with the Lord because of which.

One such method, which is the one I have personally been using, is the Quaker method, nicknamed "Palms Down, Palms Up" meditation. This method involves three rather simple steps, which I am sure to complicate.
The first step is to be in your position (the most preferred is sitting, but any position would work) with both of your palms aimed down, as though you are giving to the Lord. During this step, you will specifically give to the Lord, naming things specifically; giving as much as you can or wish to - though keep in mind that the Lord wants all of you, so I give all I can.
After giving all you have, place your palms up, so that you may ask and receive of the Lord all He has to give and all that you ask. Again, be specific, but understand that the point of these is to exchange all of your being with the Lord, that you may share in your identity completely with the Father who loves you.
Lastly, there is the time in which you remain silent, specifically you, and not the Father. In your complete silence, with even your heart calmed to no more than its beats, you listen to God. After doing this form of meditation, I have felt greatly relieved, and excited about the day to come, and hope that you may experience likewise if you should so choose to do this.

There is so much more that I wish to share here, but as I said at the beginning of this, I am ill, and do not feel like going on would be the most advisable choice for myself. However, I do pray for you, all of you who have chosen to read these posts. I pray with an understanding that the Lord will take care of you, and may keep you from falling to evil. I pray with full confidence that he will keep us all under his will and will grant to all of us more and more of His holy wisdom every glorious day.

God Bless all of you,

Ken