January 2025
A Contemplative Exercise for January 2025
The following is a possible framework for the Witnessing of the Word. It can be personalised or altered: its purpose is to serve as an example of how this Saying might be used primarily in the context of a Prayer Group, but it may be used by individuals too. It is not intended to be definitive. In the context of a group: the periods of silence should be appropriate for your group - probably not less than 5 minutes, or more than 15 minutes.
Saying for January 2025: 'To your offspring I will give this land'. Genesis 24.7 (NIV).
To begin the exercise, first spend a short while in relaxation and preparing to be still; you may want to relax your way through your muscles or you may find it helpful to become aware of the sounds around you and then put them aside as you offer this time of prayer to God.
Say this introductory invitation to prayer, then keep a further minute or two of silence: ‘Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11.28).
Introduction to the first silence - a preparation for listening with the mind:
'To your offspring I will give this land'.
Genesis Chapter 24 gives us one of the most beautiful stories from the Old Testament. In it, Abraham, who is well advanced in years, is anxious to find a wife for his son Isaac, from among his own people, and not from among the people of Canaan, where he is living. He has been promised by God that:- “To your offspring I will give this land” on which he stands. He turns to the chief servant in his household who is in charge of all that he has, and asks him to swear by oath to carry out this important task. Within God’s Covenant to Abraham, the Promised Land is their home; his descendants are not to return to his original homeland.
However, his servant asks:- “What if the young woman does not wish to return with me to this land”? In response, Abraham, being mindful of God’s Promise, is careful to tell his servant that Isaac is not to go back there. We see his great faith in verse 7:- “The Lord, the God of Heaven”, “will send His angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there”. The hand of God will accompany this servant throughout his journey, to achieve his mission.
The faith of this trusted servant is also evident throughout this story. Upon his arrival in his master’s homeland, he prays to God for success with this great undertaking. He prays that God will guide a young woman to offer him a drink, and also to bring water to his camels. When she does exactly that, he again worships God, thanking Him for finding this young woman, and for His guidance in directing him to the house of Abraham’s relatives. With Rebekah’s acceptance, and upon being given permission by her family for her to become the wife of his master’s son, according to the will of God, again the faithful servant bows down and worships God, with praise and thanksgiving. God is central to this whole plan, throughout the chapter.
We have much to learn here about keeping God at the centre of our plans, and seeking His Will in our endeavours. Despite the challenge for Abraham in finding a wife for Isaac among his own people, his faith in God never wavers as he obeys God’s Word – fulfilling God’s Promise. Similarly, the faith of his trusted servant never wavers, as he prays throughout his journey.
We now take this Saying into our minds, allowing the saying to speak to us:
'To
your offspring I will give this land'.
A time is now kept for silence of the mind – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes. The silence concludes with a short thanksgiving, and/or feel free to repeat the Saying.
The first silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you for the gift of your Word.
Introduction to the second silence - a preparation for listening with the heart:
'To your offspring I will give this land'.
The last verses of Genesis 24 tell us the very human ending to the story. We find Isaac coming to meet his father’s servant as they approach, bringing the beautiful Rebekah, willing to become his bride, and already wearing gifts of jewellry. So she became his wife, and we’re told that Isaac loved Rebekah.
Our Lord Jesus ushered in a new form and meaning of those two words within our Saying – “offspring” and “land”. As in the story of Isaac and Rebekah, love is at the core of their meaning. Abraham loved God, and trusted Him to help his beloved son Isaac. The faithful servant loved Abraham, and trusted God to help him find Rebekah. The eternal Love of our Saviour Jesus Christ for us, His new Christians, His new ‘offspring’ is demonstrated to us over and over again within the Gospel stories. He wants us to accept that His new ‘land’ for us is the Kingdom of God, especially the Kingdom of God within us.
There is a lovely translation of what Jesus meant by these words, (from the Dramatised Bible), when the Pharisees asked Him when the Kingdom of God would come. He replied:- “The Kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to be seen. No one will say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!; because the Kingdom of God is within you”. Jesus gave us many examples of what that Kingdom within us is like, e.g. a mustard seed, growing from tiny seed to a great bush. He also warned us about belonging in that new ‘land’ - the Kingdom of God:- “anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it”. That Kingdom, that new ‘land’ within is to be full of love for God, and love for our neighbour. Jesus’ new ‘offspring’, His Christians, are to inhabit a new ‘land’ – of love – love for God, and love for each other.
Now we take this word into our hearts, as we allow Jesus’ words to speak in us, to let it touch us and let it work more deeply upon our lives.
A time is now kept for silence of the heart – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes.
The second silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you that your Word is alive and within us.
Introduction to the time of intercession – taking God’s word outwards into the world.
'To your offspring I give this land'.
Say the name of a person or a group of people, and after a short pause, repeat the saying. For example:
‘Alison and your family … 'To your offspring I will give this land'.
As we allow the word to speak through us we might direct Jesus’ word towards those people and situations where there is suffering, hurt and an absence of joy and where abiding in Christ would bring comfort. Conclude this time of intercession with words of thanksgiving: Father, we thank you that your Word has gone out through us to those for whom we pray.
The Conclusion
Feel free to use the Fellowship Prayer (below) or another closing prayer to conclude your time of contemplative prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for all your unsearchable riches which pour forth from you as light from the sun, in boundless profusion and generosity, whether received, ignored or rejected. And now we offer to you, in so far as we are able, as an emptiness to be filled with your divine fullness, ourselves, our souls and bodies; all that we are, all that we have and all that we do. Amen
You may wish to say the Grace together before departing.