Читать книгу Meditation & Morality: Praying for a Better Way - Art Toalston - Страница 3

1. A ray of light

If your inner sense of morality has been tarnished or shattered by immorality, and you wish things were different, ponder this Bible passage: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Begin memorizing these words, which were spoken by Jesus.

In doing so, you will be engaging in a form of meditation.

Even if it’s just for a few moments, or several times during the day, this simple form of meditation on the words of Jesus will begin to nurture a winsome, intriguing morality in your soul. These words will have an effect, perhaps dramatically, perhaps subtly, perhaps both, even as your struggle or your affliction with immorality may continue to fester or rage.

These eleven words can become a small ray of light at the beginning of your journey out of immorality, yet there is nothing “magical” about them. For now, let’s just say there’s a unique dynamic to them because they were spoken by Jesus.

1.1

Almost any passage from the Bible can be a resource for meditation.

These words, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God,” are among an array of passages from Scripture that could be suggested as a beginning point for meditation.

These words of Jesus are from what is called the Sermon on the Mount in the Bible’s New Testament book of Matthew, chapters 5-7.

If you’ve had a chance to repeat this sentence a few times, you have seen the phrase “pure in heart” and noticed that those who possess this heart “will see God.”

Yes, it’s early in your exit from immorality, but isn’t it wondrous to breathe fresh air for a few seconds when, otherwise, you are living in polluted air? Aren’t a few moments of godliness an appealing alternative to the grip of anything that is destructive and habitual? Even if you may be burdened by something that is “no big deal” to everyone else, you may sense a stirring in your soul over a flicker of hope for relief from moral uncertainty.

1.2

If you are afflicted by immorality, you need help and grace. The sooner you begin treatment and begin to see “a light at the end of the tunnel,” the better.

If you sustained a broken arm or other injury, or if you had severe chest pains, you likely would go to an emergency room as soon as possible.

If you started to display cancer-like symptoms and a doctor ordered some laboratory work that led to a diagnosis of the disease, you would be advised to begin treatment.

Otherwise, your health suffers and worsens.

In the same way, immorality typically worsens. It leads to more suffering and to hopelessness and inner loneliness.

Meditation, though, can be an antidote, a beginning point for healing.

1.3

Deep in your heart, I believe, is a yearning to live honorably.

This yearning may be in competition with other yearnings – for riches, pleasure, popularity, or another manifestation of self-absorption.

You may think it is too difficult to live honorably. You may think it is normal to live in whatever form of immorality occupies your life. You may think you don’t have a choice.

But you indeed can choose. For now, you may not feel any ability to make an overarching choice between morality and immorality.

But you can choose to let a tiny measure of godliness into your life.

What harm will it do?