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A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Jeremiah 6:16, with a reading from Brian Zahnd's Unseen Existences. Day 51 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureJeremiah 6:16a (NRSVUE) Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies, and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. RefrainBuen camino. May my way be good. QuoteBrian Zahnd, from Unseen Existences “Dear pilgrim, may your way, though not easy, still be blessed. Despite blistered feet, sore knees, and bone-weary fatigue, may you find what you are looking for. May you reach that holy aspiration you are pressing on toward. And as we both know, our holy aspiration is much more than arriving at a cathedral in the city of Santiago.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on 1 Kings 19:5-8, with words from the Iona Community communion liturgy. Day 50 of the Unseen Existences series. Scripture1 Kings 19:5-8 (NRSVUE) Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” He got up and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. RefrainWhen my strength is gone, I am fed for the journey. QuoteFrom the Iona Community communion liturgy “This is the table, not of the church, but of the Lord. It is made ready for those who love him, and for those who want to love him more. So come, you who have much faith, and you who have little; you who have been here often, and you who have not been here long; you who have tried to follow, and you who have failed, come! Because it is the Lord who invites you. It is his will that those who want him should meet him here. Amen.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Genesis 32:1-2, with a reading from Sergius Bulgakov's Jacob's Ladder. Day 49 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureGenesis 32:1-2 (NRSVUE) Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him, and when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called that place Mahanaim. RefrainI am sheltered under angel wings. QuoteSergius Bulgakov, from Jacob’s Ladder “The world is sheltered by angel wings. Angel eyes keep watch without rest over us. Between heaven and earth the holy angels ascend and descend unceasingly.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Matthew 18:10, with a reading from Sergius Bulgakov's Jacob's Ladder. Day 48 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureMatthew 18:10 (NRSVUE) Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. RefrainI am not alone. A friend is near. QuoteSergius Bulgakov, from Jacob’s Ladder “At that time the voice of a companion sounded within: I was not alone but together with my own other I; it was my guardian angel. He told me that we had gone too far ahead and it was necessary to return.... I returned to life from death. And I knew all this time that I was not alone, that with me was a friend, the most near, tender and quiet.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on 2 Kings 6:15-17, with a reading from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Aurora Leigh. Day 47 of the Unseen Existences series. Scripture2 Kings 6:15-17 (NRSVUE) When an attendant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. His servant said, “Alas, master! What shall we do?” He replied, “Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.” Then Elisha prayed: “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw; the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. RefrainLord, open my eyes that I may see. QuoteElizabeth Barrett Browning, from Aurora Leigh “Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes, The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Hebrews 1:14, with a reading from Brian Zahnd's Unseen Existences. Day 46 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureHebrews 1:14 (NRSVUE) Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? RefrainI travel in the company of angels. QuoteBrian Zahnd, from Unseen Existences “What I desire most is for you to remember that as we journey through life, we really do tread on paths of unseen existences. In our darkest hours, we are never alone; we really do travel in the company of angels.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Philippians 2:13, with Brian Zahnd's poem "About You" from Unseen Existences. Day 45 of the Unseen Existences series. ScripturePhilippians 2:13 (NRSVUE) For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. RefrainLet God talk to me about me. PoemBrian Zahnd, "About You," from Unseen Existences Let God talk to you About you For if you imagine God talking to you About her or him, those or them You're on the fast-track to Pharisee City And life there is anything but pretty Some of the worst stuff I ever heard Began with these arrogant words: "God told me to tell you" Let God talk to you About you It's a bit of good counsel I try to let God talk to me About me Because my worst enemy Is not her or him, those or them But me So Jesus, save me From me It's not the enemy without But the enemy within Who will do me in Lord Jesus, save me From me And what about you? Well, I have some good news Jesus believes in you It's true So cast off that heavy yoke That miserable constraint Where you think You have to Set everybody straight You don't Have to Let God talk to you About you Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Daniel 7:9-10, with a reading from Alexandre Kalomiros's The River of Fire. Day 44 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureDaniel 7:9-10 (NIV) Thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. RefrainI am held in the fire of God's love. QuoteAlexandre Kalomiros, from The River of Fire "Love will enrobe everything with its sacred Fire which will flow like a river from the throne of God and will irrigate paradise. But this same river of Love, for those who have hate in their hearts, will suffocate and burn." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Genesis 1:26-27, with a reading from Thomas Merton's New Seeds of Contemplation. Day 43 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureGenesis 1:26a, 27 (NRSVUE) Then God said, "Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness." So God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. RefrainGod knows the self I was made to be. QuoteThomas Merton, from New Seeds of Contemplation "Every one of us is shadowed by an illusory person: a false self. This is the man that I want myself to be but who cannot exist, because God does not know anything about him. And to be unknown of God is altogether too much privacy. My false and private self is the one who wants to exist outside the reach of God's will and God's love, outside of reality and outside of life. And such a self cannot help but be an illusion." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Psalm 139:23-24, with a reading from Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. Day 42 of the Unseen Existences series. ScripturePsalm 139:23-24 (NRSVUE) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. RefrainSearch me, O God, and know my heart. QuoteFyodor Dostoevsky, from The Brothers Karamazov (translated by Michael R. Katz) "The main thing is, stop telling lies to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lies reaches a point where he cannot recognize any truth in himself or in anyone surrounding him, and so he loses all respect for himself and for others. Once he respects no one, he stops loving; to occupy and distract himself, he yields to passions and coarse inclinations and ultimately sinks to bestiality in all his vices, and all this comes from incessant lying to himself and to others." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Luke 5:8-11, with a reading from Brian Zahnd's Unseen Existences. Day 41 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureLuke 5:8, 10b-11 (NKJV) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. RefrainDo not be afraid. Follow me. QuoteBrian Zahnd, from Unseen Existences "Don't be afraid of me; follow me. If you follow me, I will make you into a new person, the person you were always meant to be. This is what the pilgrimage of the soul is all about: following Jesus through life until we become our true self, a self that we may initially know nothing about." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on Revelation 21:3-4, with a reading from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King. Day 40 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureRevelation 21:3-4 (NRSVUE) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and be their God; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." RefrainGod will wipe every tear from my eyes. QuoteJ.R.R. Tolkien, from The Return of the King "Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the Sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on John 11:25-26, with a reading from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Letters and Papers from Prison. Day 39 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureJohn 11:25-26 (NRSVUE) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" RefrainChrist shares my sorrow and holds my future. QuoteDietrich Bonhoeffer, from Letters and Papers from Prison "God lets himself be pushed out of the world on to the cross. He is weak and powerless in the world, and that is precisely the way, the only way, in which he is with us and helps us. Christ helps us, not by virtue of his omnipotence, but by virtue of his weakness and suffering... only the suffering God can help." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on John 11:33-35, with a reading from Brian Zahnd's Unseen Existences. Day 38 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureJohn 11:33-35 (NIV) When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. RefrainIn the silence, Jesus weeps with me. QuoteBrian Zahnd, from Unseen Existences "Yes, Jesus knew he was about to raise Lazarus, he knew it even before Lazarus died. Yet even knowing he would soon raise Lazarus, Jesus helped shoulder the burden of that bitter half hour with Mary and Martha by grieving with them. During heaven's silence when it appears our prayers go unanswered and our grief unassuaged, Jesus weeps with us." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A five-minute Christian meditation and lectio divina practice on John 11:3, 5, with a reading from Henri Nouwen's Out of Solitude. Day 37 of the Unseen Existences series. ScriptureJohn 11:3, 5 (NIV) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. RefrainI am loved as a friend, and I am not alone. QuoteHenri Nouwen, from Out of Solitude "When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.