The Bible gives us powerful imagery for us to use to shape how we see ourselves, including how we see our bodies. This kind of Christian meditation brings the transcendent experience of God into your mind and into your body so that you can replace anxiety, insecurity, stress and tension with the better and truer imagination of God’s infinite and intimate presence and love for YOU.
If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that for this podcast.Body MeditationIn a minute we’re going to meditate on John 13:4-11. But before that, let’s get your body in a good physical and spiritual disposition to meditate, so that you can recalibrate and re-integrate your body and mind with God’s infinite presence and intimate love for you right now in this moment.If you’re able, lie flat on your back, or sit comfortably in a chair. Uncross your legs. And close your eyes, if you can.
And when you’re ready, begin by taking in deep breaths through your nose into your belly — intentionally making your belly rise with each breath intake. And then with each exhale, focus on letting all your muscles soften and let go of tension.Say quietly to yourself, “Relax.”Try to bring your mind’s awareness to feeling your entire body (all at once) feeling heavier — feeling your whole body just releasing and letting go of holding yourself up. This feeling is a sensation that you actually can FEEL. Like when your body feels cold — you feel that sensation inside your body. This is like that, although it’s a quieter sensation. You don’t have to do anything. Just focus your mind’s awareness on noticing and feeling this sensation inside your body of feeling your body letting go and dropping limp. Just focus your mind‘s awareness on feeling the sensation of your body relaxing. Feeling your body from within — feeling relaxed more and more.
John 13:4–11 NIV
This is a narrative that Jesus intended with a LOT of imagery — imagination. So much of what Jesus did had literal actions/events with larger realities to imagine.
So imagine this — Jesus cleansing ALL of YOU as he went to the cross. Not just your feet but your hands and your head and every part of you! “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me,” Jesus says to you. “And you are clean.” Washing is an imaginative word. So is clean. New self. New creation. Sin completely removed. Washed away. A new self “raised with Christ” (Col 3:1). Even now. Imagine these images — this reality — into your body…Remember…1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV…You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
The authority of Jesus. The Spirit within your body (1 Cor 6:19).
Hebrews 10:19, 22 NIV
Meditate on this imagery. Use your imagination to feel this imagery/reality into your body. You’re renewing how your mind sees your body — YOU.
Timestamps:01:13 - 21:31 Body Meditation21:38 - 30:06 Bible Meditation: John 13:4-1130:20 - 32:22 PrayerWho can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it.
Follow Dave Cover on Twitter @davecover
Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter @ABiggerLifePodOur audio engineer is Diego Huaman.
This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.