Home.
What picture, metaphor or physical feeling comes to mind as you linger with that word?
Notice what happens in your body as you linger here.
Begin to describe to yourself what you are noticing.
Is your body feeling at ease, relaxed, calm or peaceful? Is your breath slow, steady and deep? Are you leaning into what you are sitting on? If so, give yourself permission to stay and linger with this sense of your body feeling safe at home. You might imagine how you want Jesus to be here with you in this place. You can come back to this place at any time and remember what feeling safe at home feels like in your body.
Yet you might be noticing tension, constriction, jitters, short and rapid breaths, or any number of other things. Give yourself permission to linger with this too…maybe taking a few moments to describe freshly how it is feeling now. Check back with the place of feeling…do those words fit? Maybe place a gentle hand on that place, which safely acknowledges that it is there. Without making the feeling go away or fixing it, just be with what is there. Maybe inviting Jesus to keep company with you as you be with it just as it is. After a few moments, notice how that place is feeling now. You might inwardly say…’I am here with you now’.
Slowly, over time you will begin to notice what feeling ‘safe at home’ feels like in your own body. We cannot make or force our bodies to feel safe. We can only notice whether they do or not. This gentle act of checking in with our bodies and noticing with compassion, empathy and genuine curiosity whatever is there will help us deepen in discernment, trust and wisdom.
You might try this little exercise again, after you read the text a few times. Simply sharing in this noticing with God is a way to pray and be seen just as you are. It may feel like a very vulnerable thing to do. God’s love is there for you to be with you just as you are. You are getting to know what being safely at home with God is like.
Zephaniah 3:14-20 (NLT)
Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment
and will disperse the armies of your enemy.
And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!
At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.
On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be,
“Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
“I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals;
you will be disgraced no more.
And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you.
I will save the weak and helpless ones;
I will bring together those who were chased away.
I will give glory and fame to my former exiles,
wherever they have been mocked and shamed.
On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again.
I will give you a good name, a name of distinction,
among all the nations of the earth,
as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes.
I, the LORD, have spoken!”
For Reflection and Prayer:
As you listened to the text, was there a word, phrase or image which caught your attention? Gently repeat the word or phrase, giving it room to settle deeply in your heart.
Reflect on what you heard. Relish the words. Notice how the word or words affected you. Which emotions stirred within you? You might choose to journal about what you heard.
Respond to what you heard and reflected on in your prayer with God. Is there a prayer of which rises within you?
Rest in God as you simply be and entrust yourself to God in the quiet.
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