Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Sleep Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's meditation
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Speaker 2: Now.
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Speaker 3: and body as we hear tonight's sleep story.
Speaker 4: Hello and welcome to the sleep story from Abide.
Speaker 5: I'm Chloe.
Speaker 4: Thanks for joining me for our story.
Speaker 5: What is good?
Speaker 4: When we walk more closely with God and our journey
Speaker 4: as followers of Jesus, we want to do as He
Speaker 4: would have us to. His will is perfect and flawless.
Speaker 4: His will is totally beneficial for us, so we should
Speaker 4: want to know what it is each and every day.
Speaker 4: As you're prepare to settle into a deep and restorative sleep,
Speaker 4: allow your mind to gently focus on the words from
Speaker 4: our main verse Micah six eight. He has shown you, immortal,
Speaker 4: what is good and what does the Lord require of
Speaker 4: you to act justly and love mercy, and to walk
Speaker 4: humbly with your God. Isn't it wonderful? He has not
Speaker 4: hidden the good purpose he has fear. He hasn't cloaked
Speaker 4: it in an enigmatic riddles. He has laid it down
Speaker 4: in simple, straightforward terms. And he has not only told
Speaker 4: you what is good, he has shown you what is
Speaker 4: God has good and perfect well to act justly and
Speaker 4: to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Speaker 4: I've said it's simple, but it's not always easy, and
Speaker 4: you are not alone.
Speaker 5: Father.
Speaker 4: God requires this of you, but he does not ask
Speaker 4: you to do what he would not do himself. His
Speaker 4: very own son, Jesus thirty three years sojourn in this
Speaker 4: earthly realm perfectly shows us that he obeyed his father
Speaker 4: and lived a life that did justly and loved mercy
Speaker 4: and walked humbly with his God. You and I have
Speaker 4: the perfect example of how to do what is good
Speaker 4: in God's eyes and to do what He requires of
Speaker 4: us to live a rich and happy and godly life.
Speaker 4: So as I lead you through the Sleep story, I
Speaker 4: hope you'll meditate deeply on what is good in God's
Speaker 4: word and what is good in Jesus teaching and what
Speaker 4: is good and his plan for you. Allow me to
Speaker 4: lead you as we prepare your body for a deep
Speaker 4: and relaxing sleep. Allow your mind to gently focus on
Speaker 4: the words for Mica sex verse eight. He has shown you,
Speaker 4: O mortal, what is God? And what does the Lord
Speaker 4: require of you? To act justly and to love mercy
Speaker 4: and to walk humbly with your God. I invite you
Speaker 4: to begin our time together by finding a comfortable possession
Speaker 4: in your bed.
Speaker 5: Let your body sink into the mattress.
Speaker 4: Feel the soft embrace of your sheets and blankets, cocooning
Speaker 4: you in a warm, secure haven.
Speaker 5: Take a deep.
Speaker 4: Breath in, filling your lungs with cool, refreshing air, and
Speaker 4: exhale slowly, releasing any tension or stress collected from your day.
Speaker 4: Repeat this breathing cycle a few more times as a
Speaker 4: short breath prayer, allowing each breath to guide you deeper
Speaker 4: into relaxation. On each inhale, softly say and what does
Speaker 4: the Lord require of me? And as you exhale gently,
Speaker 4: whisper to the Lord to act justly and to love mercy,
Speaker 4: and to walk humbly with you God. And again inhale,
Speaker 4: softly saying, and what does the Lord require of me?
Speaker 4: And gently exhale, bring to God to act justly and
Speaker 4: to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you God.
Speaker 4: And once more inhale, and what does the Lord require
Speaker 4: of me and gently exhale to act justly and to
Speaker 4: love mercy, and to walk.
Speaker 5: Humbly with you God.
Speaker 4: As your body deeply settles in, feel the tension in
Speaker 4: your muscles, even any.
Speaker 5: Aches melt away.
Speaker 4: With each gentle breath cycle. Feel any tightness in your
Speaker 4: body and face yield to softness and looseners. Then Hell,
Speaker 4: as you focus on any tight spot.
Speaker 5: And feel the.
Speaker 4: Stress evaporate on each exhalation, you are now ready to
Speaker 4: enter into RESTful and reflective slumber. Loving Lord Jesus, as
Speaker 4: we lay down to sleep, we seek your presence, your comfort,
Speaker 4: and your guidance. You have shown us what is good,
Speaker 4: and we ask for your strength to live out your
Speaker 4: teachings each day. Help us to act justly, to stand
Speaker 4: and firm and righteousness, and to be a beacon of
Speaker 4: fairness in a world that so desperately needs your light.
Speaker 4: Fill our hearts with your mercy, Jesus, let our actions
Speaker 4: be driven by compassion and love, reflecting your infinite grace.
Speaker 4: Teach us to forgive as you have forgiven us, and
Speaker 4: to extend kindness to all those we encounter. Let mercy
Speaker 4: be the stream that flows through our lives, nurturing those
Speaker 4: around us. Guide us to walk humbly.
Speaker 5: With you, Lord.
Speaker 4: Keep us close to your side, attuned to your will
Speaker 4: and your ways and humility. Let us seek your wisdom
Speaker 4: and serends to your divine plan. Remind us that in
Speaker 4: walking with you we find true purpose and deepest joy.
Speaker 4: As this child drifts into sleep, let your peace envelop them,
Speaker 4: God their thoughts and dreams, filling them with your love
Speaker 4: and assurance. Renew their spirit so that they may wake
Speaker 4: refreshed and ready to live out your call. Thank you,
Speaker 4: Jesus for your endless love and guidance. We rest in
Speaker 4: your care now and always and your holy name.
Speaker 2: Amen.
Speaker 4: I invite you now to imagine that you are standing
Speaker 4: on a hillside and ancient Judah, overlooking the town where
Speaker 4: the prophet Micah once lived. For your whole life, your
Speaker 4: parents and elders have told you much about this great
Speaker 4: prophet of God, and you've always been curious to see
Speaker 4: where he grew up, preached, and left his legacy. So
Speaker 4: you have journeyed for several weeks over many miles to
Speaker 4: reach this village, Morisheth, where Micah once lived. The sun
Speaker 4: is setting, casting a soft golden glow across the landscape.
Speaker 4: The air is filled with a gentle rustle of olive
Speaker 4: trees and the distant sound of sheep as they graze.
Speaker 4: As you take in this serene scene, you feel the
Speaker 4: deep sense of peace and connection to the land and
Speaker 4: its history. Since you feel such an admiration for Micah
Speaker 4: and his bravery and fear of the Lord, you know
Speaker 4: you will.
Speaker 5: Learn a lot from your stay here.
Speaker 4: As you walk along the hillside, you begin to reflect
Speaker 4: on the life of Micah. He was a humble man
Speaker 4: from this small town of Morishath, chosen by God to
Speaker 4: deliver messages of justice, mercy, and humility to the people
Speaker 4: of Israel and Judah. Despite the challenges he faced and
Speaker 4: the opposition that came against him, even from the people
Speaker 4: who purported to also follow Lord God of Israel, Micah
Speaker 4: remained steadfast in his faith and dedication to God's call.
Speaker 4: What faith he had, what courage to stand worth God?
Speaker 4: Even if that meant it felt like he had to
Speaker 4: stand alone. You relate to him in this moment. You
Speaker 4: have come on this journey alone, only with the clothes
Speaker 4: on your back, one scan of water, and just enough
Speaker 4: food for the trip to the village. In your life,
Speaker 4: you have known what it feels like to be alone
Speaker 4: and even lonely. Micah must have felt like this two
Speaker 4: at times.
Speaker 5: But God was with him. And when God is worth.
Speaker 4: You, you know you never need to feel lonely. When
Speaker 4: God is for you, you know no one can be
Speaker 4: against you. As you continue your walk, the shrubs and
Speaker 4: desert grasses brush your legs. The wind blows softly on
Speaker 4: your face, cooling you down. It's so peaceful here. Soon
Speaker 4: you find a quiet spot on the outskirts of the
Speaker 4: village and sit down on a soft patch of grass.
Speaker 4: The night sky begins to reveal its stars, each one
Speaker 4: a reminder of the infinite wisdom and love of the Creator.
Speaker 4: As you gaze at the stars, you recall the words
Speaker 4: of Mica sex eight. He has shown you on mortal
Speaker 4: what is good and what does the Lord require of you?
Speaker 4: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk
Speaker 4: humbly with your God. In this moment of stillness. Let
Speaker 4: these words resonate deeply within. Imagine the light of justice
Speaker 4: shining from your heart, illuminating the past before you with
Speaker 4: fairness and integrity. See the gentle stream of mercy flowing
Speaker 4: from your soul, nurturing and healing those around you with
Speaker 4: compassion and grace. Feel the humble steps you take, guided
Speaker 4: by the hand of God, leading you on a journey
Speaker 4: of purpose and peace. As you sit in this tranquil space,
Speaker 4: you can almost imagine the presence of Mica beside you,
Speaker 4: as though he is offering as wisdom and encouragement, just
Speaker 4: as you've learned. You in vision that he speaks softly,
Speaker 4: reminding you that even in times of difficulty and opposition,
Speaker 4: you are never alone. God's love and guidance are always
Speaker 4: with you, lighting your way and filling your heart with
Speaker 4: strength and hope. Gradually, the village around you begins to
Speaker 4: go quiet. The sounds of evening prayers and soft lullabies
Speaker 4: fill the air, creating a soothing melody that lulls you
Speaker 4: into a state of deep relaxation. You lie back on
Speaker 4: the grass, feeling the earth cradle you gently. The stars
Speaker 4: above shine brightly, each one a beacon of divine love
Speaker 4: and protection. You realize that you've reached the village in
Speaker 4: time for dinner. As the daylight fades and the night
Speaker 4: lights start to glow, you find a narrow but well worn,
Speaker 4: dusty pie to the center of this small, ancient village.
Speaker 4: Perhaps it's the path that the shepherds use to take
Speaker 4: the sheep to the pasture. When you enter the town,
Speaker 4: the townsfolk are packing up for the day. The builders
Speaker 4: and craftsmen are sweeping their workshop floors of all the
Speaker 4: wood filings and sawdust. The merchants and shopkeepers are folding
Speaker 4: up their wares in bundles and getting ready to shut
Speaker 4: up shop. Everyone seems glad the day is done and
Speaker 4: the night has come so they can go home to
Speaker 4: their spouses and children and enjoy.
Speaker 5: The evening meal together.
Speaker 4: You have always enjoyed the simple pleasure of people watching,
Speaker 4: so while there is still a b of light, you
Speaker 4: can sit at the watering well in the town center
Speaker 4: and observe the coming and goings of the townsfolk for
Speaker 4: a while. You are glad you chose the seat here
Speaker 4: at the well, because you remember how parched you are
Speaker 4: for a drink. A few of the women are coming
Speaker 4: at the cool of the day to collect water for
Speaker 4: their dinner and for bathing. They smile and greet you
Speaker 4: as they lower their vessels into the well and draw
Speaker 4: them back up, overflowing with fresh, glistening water. They head
Speaker 4: back to their homes by lamplight and candlelight. One very
Speaker 4: kind young woman approaches the well to fill up her
Speaker 4: clay jar. She offers to get some warm water for
Speaker 4: you in the jar so that you can drink from it.
Speaker 4: You gladly accept, and she helps you fill up your
Speaker 4: goat skin with water. You drank, and drank and drank
Speaker 4: until your thirst is fully quenched. You were so thirsty,
Speaker 4: and you don't know if water has ever tasted sweeter.
Speaker 4: You thank this lady very kindly. She remarks that your
Speaker 4: accent and unusual garments show that you are clearly not
Speaker 4: from around these parts. Yes, that's correct, you say. You
Speaker 4: tell her that you have traveled many times over two
Speaker 4: weeks to visit the village where the prophet Micah once lived,
Speaker 4: and you are curious to know more about him and
Speaker 4: where he came from. Perhaps it's the glow of the
Speaker 4: town's lamplight, but you can tell her face as beaming
Speaker 4: with delight. As you explain the reason for your trap,
Speaker 4: she insists that you come to her house and meet
Speaker 4: her family, since she is the granddaughter of Micah. You
Speaker 4: didn't have any real plans upon reaching the town, except
Speaker 4: a vague idea of booking a room at an inn,
Speaker 4: but this seems much better. You grab your small travel
Speaker 4: bag of belongings and follow her through the cobbled streets
Speaker 4: illuminated by moonlight, starlight, and candlelight. As you walk with her,
Speaker 4: she tells you about the town and its folk. The
Speaker 4: people here live simple lives, closely connected to the rhythms
Speaker 4: of the earth and the teachings of their faith. She
Speaker 4: tells you what a profound impact her grandfather, Micah had
Speaker 4: on the town. He was disliked by many people he
Speaker 4: prophesied over because the Lord's judgments against them were so serious,
Speaker 4: but she tells you that his local townsfolk came to
Speaker 4: deeply love him. He was judged at times, but when
Speaker 4: the people saw that what the Lord had spoken through
Speaker 4: him was actually coming true, they had to concede. He
Speaker 4: was a genuine prophet, one who had truly heard from
Speaker 4: the Lord and spoke out faithfully. No matter who reviled
Speaker 4: or rejected him. You listen attentively and not your head.
Speaker 4: That's what you've heard too. Micah faced much opposition, even
Speaker 4: from his own people. But now you see children playing
Speaker 4: at the doorsteps by the light of their houses, elders
Speaker 4: sharing stories, and families gathering for evening prayers. This village
Speaker 4: embodies the values that Micah championed, community, justice, and reverence
Speaker 4: for God. They made a choice and believed what God
Speaker 4: had said through Micah, and they turned from their wicked
Speaker 4: ways and obeyed God. Shortly you reach an old wooden
Speaker 4: door in a small clay house. The woman opens the door, saying, Chalom,
Speaker 4: it's just me father, and I've brought a guest. Soon,
Speaker 4: four or five young children and teenagers, presumably this young
Speaker 4: lady's siblings, run up to her and greet her with
Speaker 4: a hubbub of noise and questions. They are curious to
Speaker 4: see who this unannounced visitor is this late in the day.
Speaker 4: She laughs and introduces you to the family. Soon, an
Speaker 4: older man comes out of a side room and his
Speaker 4: wife emerges from the kitchen. They greet you warmly with
Speaker 4: beaming smiles and invite you in for dinner. Shane is
Speaker 4: a good daughter. Her father tells you of a dinner,
Speaker 4: It's wonderful to have you as an unexpected guest, especially
Speaker 4: knowing you have journeyed all this way to know about
Speaker 4: my father Micah. In fact, let us begin this meal
Speaker 4: with the prayer he used to say over dinner when
Speaker 4: I was a child, with what shall I come before
Speaker 4: the Lord and bow down before the Exalted God? Shall
Speaker 4: I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a
Speaker 4: year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Speaker 4: with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer
Speaker 4: my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my
Speaker 4: body for the sin of my soul. He has shown you, immortal,
Speaker 4: what is good and what does the Lord require of you?
Speaker 4: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk
Speaker 4: humbly with your God.
Speaker 5: Amen? You all echo Amen.
Speaker 4: As the family laughs and chats merrily over dinner, You
Speaker 4: really think over the words of Micah that the Father
Speaker 4: has just quoted. You close your eyes and let the
Speaker 4: teachings of Micah and the peace of this ancient land
Speaker 4: envelop you as you feel the assurance that comes from
Speaker 4: living a life aligned with justice, mercy, and humility. Sitting
Speaker 4: here at this table, you glimpse what the Lord God
Speaker 4: of Israel wanted for his people. He didn't want to
Speaker 4: diminish their sense of fun. He wasn't telling them to
Speaker 4: stop sinning or worshiping idols to take away their enjoyment. No,
Speaker 4: he knew that that would destroy them very quickly. He
Speaker 4: wanted what was good for his children, so he chose Mica,
Speaker 4: a man of great integrity, tenacity, and faith, who cared
Speaker 4: about what the immortal creator wanted more than the judgments
Speaker 4: of mortal man. And now you can see his family
Speaker 4: with your very own eyes, living a simple, but vibrant.
Speaker 2: And happy life.
Speaker 4: They are not rich materially, but they are rich with
Speaker 4: joy and peace and serenity. Even sitting here among them,
Speaker 4: your beginning to know what is good, what is God's
Speaker 4: good will for you and all his people. That's why
Speaker 4: you came here, not just to know it in your head,
Speaker 4: but to feel it, see it, and experience it. It
Speaker 4: is more humbling than you imagined, but that is exactly
Speaker 4: what God said. To act justly and to love mercy,
Speaker 4: and to walk humbly with your God. You see that
Speaker 4: all those at this meal are kind to each other
Speaker 4: and to you. Merciful and kind.
Speaker 5: They have not only.
Speaker 4: Been just to you, but they have also gone the
Speaker 4: extra mile and have been generous more than you deserve.
Speaker 4: And by their actions and conversations around this dinner table,
Speaker 4: they clearly all know the.
Speaker 5: Lord and are walking with them.
Speaker 4: Even though they are at different stages of their faith journeys,
Speaker 4: they are growing along God's lines and flourishing as a result. Presently,
Speaker 4: Shana offers you some bread and asks you exactly what
Speaker 4: you want to know about her grandfather Micah. You tell
Speaker 4: her that you would love to know anything what he
Speaker 4: was like, any wisdom that he used to share anything
Speaker 4: at all about his life. She and the family share
Speaker 4: all sorts of anecdotes about Micah. The time he spent
Speaker 4: walking the hillsides the very hellside you rested on praying
Speaker 4: and praying for hours every day, and not just praying,
Speaker 4: but listening to the Lord, opening up his heart to
Speaker 4: hear from God. They tell how he could hear the
Speaker 4: audible voice of God and every word ended up being
Speaker 4: proven faithful and true. They also share that he had
Speaker 4: a wonderful sense of humor and it helped him get
Speaker 4: through a lot of the anger and opposiession he faced.
Speaker 5: Many people thought he was always.
Speaker 4: Giving negative prophecies and must be a negative kind of man,
Speaker 4: But that could not be further from the truth. He
Speaker 4: was a very joyful and vibrant man. As you hear
Speaker 4: the family waxing lyrical about Micah, you close your eyes
Speaker 4: again and linger on that phrase to act justly, and
Speaker 4: to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Speaker 4: You have a deep knowledge that you are cherished, you
Speaker 4: are guided, and you are loved. Precious listener, May you
Speaker 4: know very deeply in your soul that you too are cherished,
Speaker 4: guided and loved, and you are walking with God now
Speaker 4: and forever.
Speaker 2: You are never alone.
Speaker 4: May you sink into deeper sleep now and feel His
Speaker 4: love all over you as you dream. Let me pray
Speaker 4: for you one more time, Oh dear heavenly Father. As
Speaker 4: this child lies down to rest, they seek your presence,
Speaker 4: your comfort.
Speaker 5: And your peace.
Speaker 4: Just as you guided the prophet Micah. Guide this listener
Speaker 4: with your wisdom and love. Help them embody the values
Speaker 4: of justice, mercy, and humility.
Speaker 2: In daily life.
Speaker 4: Fill their heart with your peace, Lord, as they release
Speaker 4: the worries and stresses of the day surround them with
Speaker 4: your protection, guarding their thoughts and dreams. Let your love
Speaker 4: be the blanket that covers them, providing warmth and security
Speaker 4: through the night. Thank you Lord for your endless love
Speaker 4: and guidance. And Jesus Name, Amen, dear one, Make God's
Speaker 4: divine presence bring you a RESTful sleep, renewing your spirit
Speaker 4: and refreshing your mind.
Speaker 5: May His Holy.
Speaker 4: Spirit help you wake with a heart filled with gratitude,
Speaker 4: ready to walk in His ways and fulfill his good purpose.
Speaker 4: May you have a deep awareness that you are resting
Speaker 4: in God's care always, and as you walk through each day,
Speaker 4: you walk with the Lord until next time. May you
Speaker 4: live and whate is God, and act justly and love mercy,
Speaker 4: and walk humbly with your God.