My Refuge and My Stronghold

Dear Friends,

Every Sunday when we gather for worship we pray a psalm together. This week we hear a portion of Psalm 91.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.

He shall say to the Lord,
"You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust."

This image of God as our refuge and stronghold is very comforting during times of trial. There is so much chaos swirling around us these days that threatens to engulf us. So, it is especially important to focus on keeping our center and staying grounded by coming to church each Sunday and keeping a daily prayer practice.

One of the practices that can be especially helpful is Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina, "divine reading", was developed by Saint Benedict over 1500 years ago. Many variations have evolved over the years. One especially accessible form is to simply read a biblical passage three times very slowly and contemplatively, asking God to speak to you through it. Each time you read it, you narrow it down further until you end up with a mantra, a word or a phrase that you can use as a touchstone throughout the day. Whenever you are stressed, you can go back to your mantra to help you stay centered and focused on God's provision in the moment. Lord, "You are my refuge and my stronghold" is a wonderful mantra.

I hope you will try it this week! It's a great way to keep your connection with God and a great way to prepare for praying the psalm together this Sunday.

Lord, "You are my refuge and my stronghold" .

Yours in Christ,

Shearon+