MEDITATION/MESSAGE
What is it in human nature that makes us vulnerable to temptation and open to sin?
Adam and Eve were created apart from sin, and without the need to sin, in spite of this some characteristic in their genetic makeup allowed sin to enter their lives (Gen. 3:6, 7). The scripture tells us that there are 2 characteristics that led to this:
→ For Eve, the doorway that sin entered her life was through self-deception, the choice to believe a lie (Gen 3:13).
→ For Adam it was self-will, his choice to ignore God’s voice of authority (Gen 3:17).
Sin is simply an attitude or action that opposes the character and will of God, resulting in separation between man and God. Self-deception and self-will both remain as hurdles in our own lives today, allowing sin to continue to take root and produce its toxic fruits. That is until Christ enters our lives and “bridges” the gap, breaking the bond of sin and empowering us to resist it.
“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”(John 10:7, 9-10 NIV)
The “Bridge,” formed by Jesus Christ, can be presented in four sections:
God’s Love
- The Bible teaches that God loves us, and that He wants us to live life to the fullest.
- Man was created to spend time with God, to be His friend, and to experience His love
- Man was not created as a robot, God gave man free will
Man’s Problem
- Man often turns his back on God.
- The result of man’s sin is separation from God.
- All men start in a similarly hopeless situation.
- God’s opinion is the truth about us.
God’s Remedy
- God still loves us and desires that we know Him personally
- There is nothing WE, as humans, can do to bridge the gap, it is only done through Jesus Christ, who is God and also man
- When Christ died voluntarily on the cross, he took our place. He paid the penalty for each of us and bridged the gap
Man’s Response
- Christ made it possible for us to cross over to God, but we get to chose to demonstrate that we believe Christ has done this for us
- Praying to God, we can come before God and discuss our sins, and receive Jesus to bring us back before God clean and new
- Believing in Christ also teaches us how to begin to believe, and to come to know that what He says in Scripture is truth.(www.bible.org)
BRIDGE POSE DESCRIPTION
Imagine agreeing, with the “bridge” of Christ, as we enter into Bridge Pose
1. Start lying flat on your back, with arms at your sides
2. Bend both knees and set the feet FLAT on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.
*the feet and legs are slightly apart but should be parallel
3. Exhale, and press the palms and heels actively into the floor, raise your buttocks until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Keep your knees directly over the heels, while pushing them forward, away from the hips
4. Roll onto the shoulders if possible and lift the chest
5. Tuck the chin in lengthening through the back of the neck
6. If comfortable, reach with the hands and interlace the fingers
Stay in the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor
The Bridge is a very simple, but powerful pose. There are many variations you may add to the basic posture. One variation is one leg up, as shown in the picture.
-From the basic Bridge pose, lift one leg and bring the foot up toward the ceiling. This is a simple variation but as you practice, be sure not to allow the hips to drop. Lower the leg and repeat on the other side.
* If you have experienced a neck injury please take caution in this pose, it would be best practiced under the supervision of an experienced teacher.
Benefits
Stretches the chest, neck, and spine
Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and mild depression
Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid
Rejuvenates tired legs
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
MEDITATION/MESSAGE, FINAL RELATION POSE DESCRIPTION
~ Find a space on your mat and lie down on your back
~ Allowing your feet to fall out and away from you
~ Placing your hands at your sides, palms facing up
~Close your eyes
~ Find a comfortable rhythm for your breath
*Begin to let go, starting with your head.
Imagine your head growing heavy, and feeling His hands cup your head. Holding you allowing you to simply Rest In Him. As He kisses your forehead, He removes all the thoughts that are not His from your precious mind.
*Letting the relaxation move through your neck and over your shoulders. As you imagine HIs hands upon your shoulders. They are not weighted but instead just offer the warmth and presence of a light yoke that will guide and comfort you along the way. As He gentle squeezes you feel all your burdens fall to the floor. *Feeling the warmth travel down your arms finally reaching your hands. Your arms are completely relaxed and you feel Him take your hands into His own. Your eyes have no chose but to meet His and your see as He wants you to see. Your focus becomes Him and all of your worries fade into a blur. *The warmth moves back up the arms and over the shoulders, quietly exploding into your lungs. Feeling your rib and knowing it is of Him. Recognizing each breath as His breath of life and of freedom. He breathes into you each breath, giving you life again and again. You are alive and you are His. *Allowing the warmth to move through your core and arrive at your hips. Feeling the vulnerability here. Knowing that this is where He weeps with you. The place where we may burry our heads and weep. You feel Him comfort you there. Drawing you in and weeping with you! *The relaxation still traveling down through the legs and into the feet. As you look on you see Him kneel and begin to wash your feet. Perhaps you cannot recognize, but it is Him who washes your feet. Feeling the absolute gift as He washes you clean and serves you in a way like no one has ever done. You find humility and freedom with every brush of His hand. * Finally, you realize you are His and He is with you. Now simply Rest In Him.
**** P.S. if you give me 24hrs I am going to attempt to record an audio reading of this meditation so that you can simply push play and then listen to it as you practice the pose.
SONG SUGGESTIONS
All that I can say by David Crowder Band
Love Came Down(If my heart is overwhelmed) by Brian Johnson
All Around me by David Crowder
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