Week 2: Finding Hope in the Desert

Sometimes life can be overwhelming. We may be stressed by the circumstances of our day, afraid for our future, and tired of doing what is right. For better or worse, the Bible assures us that we are not alone. So many of the stories we hear – from Hagar to Paul – remind us that life can be difficult. People can work against us or try to harm us, even when we’re trying to do our best. There are times when we too feel like we’re alone with no one to lean on or no place to go.

So what do we do?

The Bible offers us the promise that God is with us, even when we find ourselves in desperate places with no idea of what to do next. God sees us. God cares for us. God provides a way through the desert with a reminder that God will never leave us alone.

This week for our meditation , please read the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. He is a prophet of God but has found himself alone and afraid in the wilderness. He is ready to give up. But God takes care of him – feeding him and providing him with some rest. Then, God blesses Elijah but drawing near to him in the “still small voice”.

This week we invite you to listen for God’s still, small voice calling to YOU – offering comfort, guidance, and hope.

What is God saying to you?

Elijah prophesied and performed miracles of God’s faithfulness in the mid-500’s BCE during the Babylonian Exile of the Jews (Fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE). He defended the worship of the one True Hebrew God over that of the Canaanite deity Baal. His very name means “Yahweh is my God”, although the wicked Israelite King Ahab (who worshiped Baal, as did his wife, Jezebel) called him the “Troubler of Israel”. When Jezebel threatens Elijah’s life, he flees and eventually meets God at Horeb. God tells him to stand on the mountain, for the Lord is about to pass by and will tell Elijah what to do. There comes a mighty wind, a rumbling earthquake and a scorching fire, but still Elijah does not hear the Lord in any of these great commotions. Then comes an overwhelming silence, and in that silence, a still, small voice. Now Elijah hears the voice of the Lord offering him direction and hope!

Life is noisy. People talk and yell, devices beep and buzz, so many things vying for our attention and drowning out the Divine. How do we arrive at a spiritual place in which we can hear that still, small voice of Truth and assurance? This week, we will focus on the ancient practice of praying the Scripture called Lectio Divina, which means “divine reading” or “sacred reading”. During Lectio Divina, one listens with the heart to the Scripture for the message he or she receives through the text. Lectio Divina includes four steps: Read (Lectio), Reflect (Meditatio), Respond (Oratio), and Rest (Contemplatio), which will hopefully open our hearts to the calling of the Holy Spirit.

Go to a quiet place and put your body in a comfortable position. Leave your phone out of eyesight and earshot. Choose a favorite passage in Scripture, maybe a Psalm or a parable or even a single verse. Read it slowly, either aloud or silently, and work your way through these steps:

• Read (Lectio) – Read the passage in full, opening your Spirit to God’s guidance.

• Reflect (Meditatio) – Read the passage again, in part or in full, considering which phrases or images call to you. What draws your focus? Which words speak to your heart and experience?

• Respond (Oratio) – Pray, draw, journal or move your body, heart, mind and soul in response. Express the meaning and significance of the message you’ve received.

• Rest (Contemplatio) – Sit in contemplative prayer, perhaps using one of the phrases as your centering word or image. Rest in your experience, expressing gratitude for God’s revelation to your heart!