ON CHRISTIAN MEDITATION

A Northern Asian Christian Temple in the Snow

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

Scripture instructs us to be “instant in season and out of season,” “praying always with all prayer,” and to be “sober and vigilant, because your adversary the devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (2 Timothy 4:2, Ephesian 6:18, I Peter 5:18) In the Psalms, King David says that he “pondered God’s law and meditated on His precepts day and night,” and was “still, and knew God.” These instructions all resonate with how God reveals Himself in a “still, small voice.” (I Kings 9:12) We do not know God in thunder, lightening, fire and earthquake. No, we know God by paying attention to the compass-like tugging of the Holy Spirit inside our hearts, revealing to our conscience what is right and wrong, good and evil, according to God’s holy will for our lives. What does it take to hear and obey God? Stillness, silence, quietness. It requires that we cease from self, enter into Christ’s death, the silence of the grave, and live to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, planted in us at baptism. The world is silent under the waters of baptism, and whether we are on our beds late at night, rising early to worship God’s majesty, or praying seven times a day to implore God’s mercy, we must first start by being quiet. “In the multitude of words, there is sin, but he who restrains his words is wise.” (Proverbs 10:19) 

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” - Psalm 46:10

Blessed Advent!

基督教冥想

圣经教导我们要“得时不得时”，“常常多方祷告”，并且要“谨守谨守，因为你们的仇敌魔鬼如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人”。 （提摩太后书 4:2，以弗所书 6:18，彼得前书 5:18）在诗篇中，大卫王说他“昼夜思想上帝的律法，思想他的训词”，并且“安静，认识上帝。 ” （诗篇 1:2、46:10）这些指示都与上帝如何以“平静、细小的声音”揭示自己的方式产生共鸣。 （列王纪上 9:12）上帝不在于雷霆、闪电、火灾和地震中。不，我们通过注意圣灵在我们心中的指南针般的牵引来认识上帝，根据上帝对我们生命的圣洁旨意，向我们的良心揭示是非善恶。听从和服从上帝需要什么？静止，寂静，安静，平安。它要求我们停止自我，进入基督的死，进入坟墓的寂静，并靠着在洗礼时栽种在我们里面的圣灵的大能向基督而活。世界在洗礼水中一片寂静，无论是深夜卧床、早起敬拜神的威严，还是一天七次祷告祈求神的怜悯，都必须先从安静做起。 “言多必有罪，节言者为智。” （箴言 10:19）

“祂说：’要安静， 要知道我是上帝， 我必在列国受尊崇， 在普世受尊崇。’” - 诗篇46:10

降临节快乐！