Be Still as the Lake at Dawn

Have you ever meditated on a nature setting as a way to listen to God? God reveals himself and his purposes for us through his creation. Praying a Psalm in its Nature Setting is a favorite spiritual practice of mine.

For instance, many times in the early morning I have met with Jesus by meditating at Woodbridge North Lake near my home in Irvine, CA.

The image of the still lake is imbeded deep in my conscious and my prayers. It draws me into the quiet. It opens my heart to listen. It centers me in God’s presence. It reflects heaven to me in surprising ways.

And it inspired my prayer poem: “Be Still.”
Be Still

Be still as the lake at Dawn

In a world that wakes to alarms and agendas:

Quietly rest so you can listen;

Breathe and open to your soul;

Wait patiently to receive what is to come,

Softly absorb the light as a looking glass.

~

Be still to know the I AM;

Let the “rush hour” pass by your silence:

The Voice whispers to create Life;

It swims and plays deep within you;

As holy feet step upon your waters

Heaven’s Face smiles upon you

– and out from you.

~

Be still as the lake at Dawn;

Be still to know the I AM;

In a world that wakes to alarms and agendas

Let the “rush hour” pass by your silence.

~

Quietly rest so you can listen:

The Voice whispers to create Life;

Breathe and open to your soul

It swims and plays deep within you.

~

Wait patiently to receive what is to come,

As holy feet step upon your waters;

Softly absorb the light as a looking glass,

Heaven’s Face smiles upon you

– and out from you.

Jesus Smiles at You!

The most important thing in your life is that you see Jesus smiling at you! Then a smile will come to your face and to the people around you!

Do you see Jesus smiling at you? Do you ever pause to think about this and smile your appreciation in reply?

A smile is a powerful prayer! It can help you to overcome discouragement, worry, frustration, loneliness, or boredom – really!

Jesus welcomes you to come closer. He’s interested in how you’re feeling and what you’re doing – he enjoys knowing you and being your Friend. And to have the Lord God Almighty as your Friend is the best blessing!

Jesus opens his heart to you. He wants to encourage you and to guide you on the path of life with him. Follow Jesus and discover that, YOU are the disciple Jesus loves!

Here’s a favorite Breath Prayer of mine that I developed after my first two years of Praying the Psalms with Jesus everyday:

* “Jesus delights in me… I delight in you my Lord” (inspired by Psalm 18:19; 37:4, 23).

Breathe in (with a smile!): “Jesus delights in me…”

Breathe out (still smiling!): “I delight in you my Lord.”

Try it for a few minutes now, slowly and softly repeating it over and over…

As you go about your day breathe it in and out whenever you can remember: “Jesus delights in me… I delight in you my Lord.”

One breath. One prayer. It may seem like a little thing but it can make help you to do whatever you’re doing with and for Jesus – and to smile with the joy of the Lord!

Breathe a Prayer - it's Simple and Delightful!

In my teaching, counseling, and leading of retreats I find that people greatly benefit from learning how to use a “Breath Prayer” approach to meditating on a phrase from the Bible.

A reader of the Soul Shepherding Blog asked me for help in learning to do this…

My recent post, God’s Word to Me (based on my meditations from Psalm 19), included a number of Breath Prayers. Let’s take one as example (many of the short prayers I post work like this)…

“Jesus… I smile in your light.”

This easy and joyful prayer is a deep and profound response to God’s Kingdom in our midst!

Jesus said that he is the Light of the World and that we are lights to shine for him in the world. When we trust in him his light shines on us and all around us from above, inside us to permeate our whole being, and through us to bless everyone we come into contact with. This is by the Holy Spirit (“the Spirit of Christ”).

Light is the source and sustaining power behind all life on earth. Light is what enables us to see.

Smiling to Jesus helps us to appreciate that indeed he lights on us, smiles his favor on us, 24×7.

Try slooooowly breathing in and out:

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… I smile in your light

Using a Breath Prayer like this will help you to meditate on and enter into the reality of God’s glorious kingdom.

Breathe in as you whisper: “Jesus…”

Breathe out (and smile!) as you whisper: “I smile in your light.”

Pause and then repeat the prayer.

Slowly breathing a prayer helps you to meditate or marinate in God’s Word, connecting with Christ and taking his words way into your heart (which is your will that orients your whole life).

Breathing in is an expression of receiving or internalizing God’s Word and Spirit.

Breathing out is an expression of releasing tensions and controls. Also it can be viewed as overflowing with (sharing) God’s Word and Spirit with others.

For more help see my articles on Centering Prayer and Breath Prayer.

Also, I tweet a centering “Breath Prayer” from the Psalms 1-2 times per day: http://twitter.com/billgaultiere.

God's Word to Me (and to You!)

Today I spent extended time alone with the Lord in prayer and meditation. Part of that time I meditated on Psalm 19 as I sat outside by a lake in the sunshine.

In Psalm 19 we are reminded that God is speaking to us in his creation and his law. If only we will be still… Open the eyes of our heart… Breathe in deep… Listen…

We see his beauty. We hear his wisdom. We know he is Love. We sense his heart reaching out to draw us close and embrace us in love. We trust his goodness transforming us into his own image. We share him with every person that we can.

O Beauty of beauties! O Wisdom of wisdom! O Word of life! O Jesus!

Let me prayer poem based on Psalm 19 help you to breathe in and out the name that is above all names…

God’s Word to Me

Jesus… You are God’s Son shining in the heavens

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… You are my Bridegroom coming for me

Jesus… I hold you in my heart

Jesus… You are my Champion rejoicing to run your course

Jesus… I follow you

Jesus… You are God’s Law restoring souls

Jesus… I study and obey you

Jesus… You are more precious than gold

Jesus… I give up all for you

Jesus… You are sweeter than honey

Jesus… I delight in you

Jesus… You are God’s Word to me

Jesus… I love to speak your name

Extend your Sled Run in the New Year!

“New things I declare to you. Before they spring into being I announce them to you. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth… See I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wilderness.” (Isaiah 42:9, 10; 43:19)

When was the last time you went sledding in the snow? Maybe it's been awhile. When I see a snow-covered hill the boy in me comes out! Over the years Kristi and I have had some exciting adventures on sled runs with our kids. Our favorite spot to sled is on the big hill in the forest right behind the cabin we go to in Lake Arrowhead, CA.

One time after an hour of sliding and shrieking with delight, David (he was 13 years old) and I decided that rather than joining Kristi and the girls in going back to the cabin to sit by the fire and sip hot chocolate we'd extended the sled run. We added a snow bank and made a groove that turned to the right and then went farther down the hill. I call it a big hill, but it's really the side of the mountain and it sent us flying. And I do mean flying! We got airborne!

But the most thrilling part was the end. That was the steepest, fastest part of the sled run and it headed straight for the street. Picture this. There we were, both of us sitting in this long sled, me in the back and David tucked just in front of me and leaning back against my chest, and we'd go soaring down the mountain and screaming with excitement, "Yeahhh!" Then at the last second David would yell, "Bail!" and we'd launch ourselves off of the sleds to go sliding and laughing into the snow bank while the sled crashed into the street below.

That was fun! And that's a picture of how I want to start the New Year. I want to extend my sled run. God has more of his life for me then I have yet learned to expand into. And he has more for you too!

Let's go sledding with Jesus! Let's improve the sled run! And let's bail out on living for own goals in our own strength. Let’s aim to live our whole lives as Jesus' apprentices – it’s the greatest adventure of life! Nothing is more fun and more meaningful.

The Apprentice Prayer

I used to get up thinking about – or worrying about! – all the things I needed to do that day and rushing to get going on them. But I’ve learned to begin my day in quiet prayer. (Sometimes to do this I have to wrestle the anxieties off of me!)

Years ago I learned to offer the first words of the day to my Lord: “I love you Jesus!”

This has grown into “the Apprentice Prayer”: a simple but powerful prayer of devotion to Jesus.

I use The Apprentice Prayer to train my heart to live as an apprentice to Jesus. It helps me to rejoice in the Lord in trials, submit to his kingdom in all that I do, and listen to what God is teaching me through the events of my day. It also helps me to entrust myself and my loved one’s to God’s providential, loving care.

Begin this New Year by offering The Apprentice Prayer (or your own paraphrased version) each morning for a number of days. Form a prayer habit of the heart and you’ll be amazed at how God uses it to help you to live as the disciple Jesus loves!

The Apprentice Prayer
Jesus, I love you! Father, I adore you. Holy Spirit, I rely on you.

Lord Jesus, I seek to live as your apprentice in all that I do today. I submit myself to you and your kingdom. In all things today I pray, “Your will, your way, your time.”

Dear Father, I ask you to ordain the events of this day and use them to make me more like Jesus. I trust you, Sovereign Lord, that you won’t let anything happen to my family or me today, except that it passes through your loving hands. So no matter what problems, hardships, or injustices I face today help me not to worry or get frustrated, but instead to relax in the yoke of your providence. Yes, today I will rejoice because I am in your eternal kingdom, you love me, and you are teaching me!

My Lord, I devote my whole self to you. I want to be all and only for Jesus! Today, I love you with all my heart (intentions and choices), all my soul (personality), all my mind (thoughts), all my strength (body and energy), and all my relationships (conversations and interactions).

Today, I depend on you, Holy Spirit, not my own resources. Help me to keep in step with you.

Today, I look to love others as you love me, dear God, blessing everyone I meet, even those who mistreat me.

Today, I’m ready to lead people to follow you, Jesus.

Amen.