Welcome to Day 1409 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Our World Is Shaken – Meditation Monday

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1409 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind. 

I am on my 64^th revolution around the sun on this oasis of paradise that we call earth. On this earth, from the beginning of creation, there have been problems. I must admit though the first six months of 2020 has been what we would call a humdinger, and not in a good way.   I think we are all a bit shaken at the moment. Today let us meditate on:

Our World is Shaken

There have been many twists and turns in my life. There have been many unexpected ups and downs. I am sure you have experienced the same. We would like to make sense of it all, because we desire to be in control, which we are not. We desire to have meaning in what has and is happening, but that is not always the case. The older I get, the more I can relate to wise King Solomon in his old age. He wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

We have heard thousands of times in the past few months that we are living in unprecedented times. We want to think that there has never been a time like we are currently facing. There is an ongoing worldwide pandemic that has claimed over 500,000 lives, and maybe many more. Now we have global unrest about injustices and prejudices, which are resulting in peaceful protest, and very unpeaceful rioting causing additional loss of life and destruction of property. We want to think that nothing like this has ever happened, that this is all new. Once again, wise King Solomon buts it this way in Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually, it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

In addition to global devastation, many individuals are also experiencing life-altering situations, many of which are personally devastating. These situations shake us to our very core. We feel like we are reeling out of control. We need a place to pause and regain our center.

So did the Christians at the end of the first century. Rome was trying to wipe out Christ-followers from the face of the earth. Their worlds were shaken to the core. The old apostle John writes to help them regain their center. Every day their world was spun wildly out of control by the ever-present threat of persecution. Their numbers were small as they gathered for worship of the One they claimed to be Lord. Up against the “powers that be” — both political and religious — their gatherings looked weak just as many of us may feel weak and helpless. So John was given a different vision. The vision showed him what was going on behind what was happening on earth. In Revelation 3, Jesus is standing at a door, knocking. In Revelation 4, there is an open door. John looks into heaven from a world that seems to be spinning like a drum in a washing machine What John sees has to do with what we today might call “a worship service.”

He sees many things, but the main thing he sees is the throne. And let’s just say you and I are not occupying the throne, but we are gathered around it. The “twenty-four elders” represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the church — the old Israel and the new church have now become one. And they all lay down their crowns before his throne.

We need to worship today with a conviction that we are in the presence of God. Outsiders don’t see that, and frankly speaking, sometimes neither do we. As we begin once again to come together as Christ-followers, let us do so with a renewed interest. Let us be people singing songs, even if it is sometimes off-key. As we gather together as Christ-followers and share God’s Word, let us experience with a renewed passion that our Savior Jesus Christ is The Word. John 1:1-5, In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Meditate on that last phrase, no matter how dark the world may seem at times, we know that The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  Regardless of whether you are worshipping God individually, or together keep in mind that the act of worship rehearses in the present God’s promised future that lies ahead for us and is happening right now in God’s presence. Heaven is introduced into the present. The church at worship is centered and gathered at God’s throne. We receive the revelation of what is preached and the preaching of Christ. We sing songs that affirm that God alone is on the throne, and we are affirmed by him, reminding us that we are wanted and that we belong.

So even though our world may now be shaken, each day, we need to tune out this crazy world for just a few minutes and re-center our lives. When we do, our world stops shaking, and we are reminded Who is control and what our future will be. And we choose to live faithfully for Jesus no matter the cost! I would encourage you to take a few moments to meditate on Revelation 4:1-11 Let me close with verse 11

“You are worthy, O Lord our God,

to receive glory and honor and power.

For you created all things,

and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

That is a wrap for today’s Meditation, next week; we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’  If you would like to listen to any of the past 1408 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow!