love & Blessing meditation

Love God with all your heart. Love yourself. Love your neighbor.
                    -- Deuteronomy 6:5; Luke 10:27; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30.

1. Presence: Imagine yourself in the presence of God. If it is difficult, ask God to help you imagine yourself in His presence. It may help to imagine a bright light or a powerful cloud (the ways God appeared in Moses' time). Or imagine the Father, or Creator, or Jesus or Holy Spirit. Gently observe what makes you comfortable or uncomfortable about entering God's presence. The ultimate goal is to be able to JOYFULLY enter His presence.

2. Quiet Mind: As you maintain the thought of you in God's presence, allow yourself to feel gratitude or joy or peace or spontaneous worship. Repeat (out loud or in your mind) "Thank you". Stray thoughts will come. When your mind wanders, gently bring your thoughts back to being in His presence. When your mind is quieted, wait on Him, and observe any thoughts, words, images, feelings. You can even ask God to give you your next thought - then wait for it. (That is fun!)

3. Full Heart: Focus your attention on your heart area. Put your hand on your chest, or even tap on your chest area if that helps you to focus. Breathe comfortably and deeply and ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart. Breathe out of your heart area and release any pain or fear or hostility, and ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart and chest cavity. Ask God to show you how much He loves you and ask Him to fill you with His love. Stay quiet and continue to gently observe any thoughts, images, words, feelings, even physical sensations - let your body relax.

4. Overflow: Ask God to let His love and peace and joy flow into you. Then through you onto others. Let His spirit flow through you. As people or situations come to mind, simply hold them up to God, and pray for His love and peace to them. You do not have to use words. You may find a situation comes into your mind that you never thought much about before - for instance a persecuted people group - if so, pray God's love and peace to them or into that situation. God is now partnering with you and you are in intercession for others. 

5. Close Down: Take some time to close down and re-enter your normal life. Consider thanking God for his love and for the time together, and asking Him to protect you and to lead and guide you. Consider saying the Lord's Prayer. Whatever is on your heart to finish up, do it.