meditatio at the water's edge

Last night we did some more stations stuff. For those of you who are interested, here's what we did...

Station 1 :: Salt (We had some sea salt in a little bowl on a table)
We had pieces of paper that read:
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”
1) Read the Scripture.
2) Take a grain of salt and place it on your tongue.
3) As you meditate on the Scripture, invite the Spirit of God to speak directly to you and expose the places where your life has become tasteless.
4) Invite the Spirit of God to show you where you may be a cleansing, preserving, and flavoring presence in the places and times in which you live.


Station 2 :: City (we had some images of cities at night running in a loop on Randy's laptop)
We had pieces of paper that read:
"A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
1) Read the Scripture
2) Watch the images on the screen.
3) Invite the Spirit of God to point out the areas of your life where you have been trying to hide the light of life.
4) Where have you been resisting the call of God to release the rule and reign of your life to Him?
5) Invite God to shine His light into your heart and mind.
6) Now see yourself as a city on a hill, fully illumined by the light of Life, reflecting the light of God to the people you will see this week.
7) Imagine yourself shining the light of Christ’s love and peace and joy onto the lives of three specific people.


Station 3 :: Candle (We had three pillar candles on a stand in the middle of a room. Ideally it was to be a dark room, but the sun hadn't gone down yet, so it was not as effective in a sunlit room.)
We had pieces of paper that read:
"You are the light of the world.”
1) Read the Scripture
2) Watch the dancing flame of the candle and its effects on the whole room.
3) Consider how the light easily and naturally eliminates darkness by its simple presence.
4) Invite the Spirit of God to speak directly to you through these Scriptures to show you how your life may be the kind of life that easily and naturally eliminates darkness by your simple presence.


Station 4 :: Candles (We had 24 tea-lights on a coffee table in the center of our gathering space.)
We had pieces of paper that read:
"Think of one or two people who need the light of Christ’s love and peace and joy in their lives (one of them may be you).
Light one of the candles as you pray:
Father of light, in whom there is no darkness,
Shine the light of Christ’s love and peace and joy into __________’s heart and mind. Amen.

Then we asked everyone to remain in silent contemplation until everyone had completed the exercise.