We're going to do a five-minute meditation called Resting in God's Loving Presence.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down.
Now close your eyes and take a deep breath in,
Allowing your body to relax with each exhale.
Allow the stillness around you to invite you into a sacred space,
A space where you can release any tension and focus solely on God's loving presence.
Now take another deep breath and as you do,
Imagine God's love surrounding you,
Wrapping you in warmth and peace.
Let your body relax deeper into the moment.
With each breath,
Feel more grounded and centered in his presence.
Now bring your attention to your body.
Start with your feet.
Notice any areas of tension and as you breathe,
Allow those areas to soften.
Slowly move up through your legs,
Your hips,
Your torso and your arms.
Breathe deeply into each area,
Releasing any tension.
Continue up to your shoulders,
Your neck and your head.
Allow every part of your body to relax and rest in God's presence.
As you breathe deeply,
Bring to mind the words from Psalm 3418,
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Feel the truth of these words sink into your heart.
God is close to you in your sorrow.
He is near.
He sees your pain and he is here offering his peace and his love.
Allow yourself to rest in this truth.
You don't need to do anything right now,
But simply be.
God's love is constant and unchanging.
If there are specific sorrows on your heart,
Take a moment now to gently acknowledge them.
You don't need to speak them out loud or even know the perfect words.
Just feel them and then offer them to God.
Picture your sorrow as a heavy stone in your hands.
And as you breathe in,
Imagine that stone being placed gently in God's hands.
Feel the weight lift off of you,
Knowing that God will carry it for you.
And as you exhale,
Let go of any need to control or fix.
Trust that God is at work,
Healing and restoring,
Even in this moment.
Now allow yourself to simply rest in God's presence.
Imagine his love surrounding you like a gentle embrace,
Offering comfort and peace.
And with each breath,
Feel the peace of Christ filling you,
Washing over you and bringing a deep sense of calm.
In this moment,
You are safe.
You are loved.
You are held by a father who never leaves,
Never abandons and never forsakes.
Just breathe and allow yourself to rest completely in his love.
And as we come to the end of this meditation,
Take a moment to thank God for his presence.
Know that he is with you always,
Offering his peace and his strength.
And when you are ready,
Begin to slowly bring your awareness back to the present.
Feeling the calm and peace you've received,
Open your eyes.
And when you're ready,
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Carrying the sense of God's loving presence with you.
Thank you for being in this lesson here today.
