Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Sleep Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's meditation
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Speaker 1: body as we hear tonight's sleep story. Hello and welcome
Speaker 1: to this sleep story from Abide. I'm Tyler. Thanks for
Speaker 1: joining me for our story calm devotion. As your day
Speaker 1: draws to a close and you look forward to sleep,
Speaker 1: it's time to find peace and rest in the presence
Speaker 1: of the Lord. Close your eyes, take a deep breath,
Speaker 1: and allow the cares of the day to melt away.
Speaker 1: In this story, we will embark on a gentle journey
Speaker 1: through Psalm one, verse two, letting its words and the
Speaker 1: Holy Spirit guide us into a serene and RESTful sleep.
Speaker 1: The Psalmist wrote in this verse, but his delight is
Speaker 1: in the law of the Lord, and on his law
Speaker 1: he meditates day and night. This beautiful verse invites us
Speaker 1: to immerse ourselves in the Word of God, finding joy
Speaker 1: and peace in his teachings. Let this journey through the
Speaker 1: Psalm be a soothing balm for your soul, drawing you
Speaker 1: closer to the Lord. As you prepare to rest in
Speaker 1: this sleep reflection, we will consider the life of calm
Speaker 1: devotion of priest and poet Gerard Manly Hopkins. We will
Speaker 1: hear how Hopkinson's life was one of continual dedication to
Speaker 1: the Lord, saturated in the Word of God, and ongoing
Speaker 1: communion with the Holy Spirit. We will explore the peace
Speaker 1: and simplicity Hopkins lived and hear some of the spirit
Speaker 1: inspired poetry he penned during his time of solitude and
Speaker 1: devotion to God. Hopkins' story has some wonderful insights to
Speaker 1: share with us about what blessings can be enjoyed by
Speaker 1: us all in a life of call devotion to God.
Speaker 1: Come to God now just as you are, and put
Speaker 1: it all on pause and find rest for your body,
Speaker 1: your mind, and your spirit in the quiet. Imagine a
Speaker 1: man whose art is steadfast in the Lord. This blessed
Speaker 1: man is none other than Gerard Manly Hopkins, whose life
Speaker 1: was a testament to his unwavering devotion to God. Hopkins
Speaker 1: found delight in the Law of the Lord, meditating on
Speaker 1: it day and night as he walked through life. It
Speaker 1: was like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding
Speaker 1: its fruit in season and whose leaf did not wither.
Speaker 1: Hopkins was born in eighteen forty four in Stratford, Essex, England.
Speaker 1: From a young age, he exhibited a profound sensitivity to
Speaker 1: the natural world and a deep spiritual inclination. His early
Speaker 1: education at Highgate School laid the foundation for his literary talents,
Speaker 1: but it was at Balliol College, Oxford where his faith
Speaker 1: truly blossomed. Under the influence of John Henry Newman, Hopkins
Speaker 1: converted to Roman Catholicism, a decision that profoundly shaped his future.
Speaker 1: Gerard Manly Hopkins's poetry and life were deeply rooted in
Speaker 1: the Word of God, just as Psalm one says. But
Speaker 1: his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and
Speaker 1: on his law he meditates day and night. As you
Speaker 1: picture this to voted man, feel the warmth of God's
Speaker 1: love surround you like a soft, comforting blanket. The Law
Speaker 1: of the Lord was not a burden for Hopkins, but
Speaker 1: a source of joy and strength. It nourished his soul,
Speaker 1: just as the streams of water nourish the tree. As
Speaker 1: you meditate on God's word, feel your worries and fears dissipate,
Speaker 1: replaced by a deep sense of peace and contentment. Picture
Speaker 1: the tree in your mind. Its roots are deep and secure,
Speaker 1: drawing life giving water from the stream. The leaves are
Speaker 1: vibrant and healthy, and the branches are heavy with fruit.
Speaker 1: This tree is strong and unshakable, just as Hopkins was
Speaker 1: when he was grounded in God's word. Let this image
Speaker 1: fill you with a sense of stability and assurance as
Speaker 1: you prepare to rest here Psalm one, verse two again.
Speaker 1: But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
Speaker 1: and on his law he meditates day and night. Let
Speaker 1: your thoughts turn to the law of the Lord. Thinking
Speaker 1: of the commandments and teachings that guided hopkins life. These
Speaker 1: were not restrictions, but hathways to a fulfilling and abundant life.
Speaker 1: They were the words of a loving father who desires
Speaker 1: the best for his children. Remember the feelings of closeness
Speaker 1: you've had with God in the past. These moments are
Speaker 1: treasures reminders of His faithfulness and love. Hold on to
Speaker 1: these memories as you drift into sleep, allowing them to
Speaker 1: comfort and reassure you. The Lord is always with you,
Speaker 1: guiding and protecting you. As Hopkins meditated on the Law
Speaker 1: of the Lord day and night, so too, can you
Speaker 1: find peace and rest in God's Word. Let the Scriptures
Speaker 1: be the last thing on your mind as you fall asleep,
Speaker 1: knowing they will continue to work in your heart and
Speaker 1: mind throughout the night. And may they also be the
Speaker 1: first thing you think of as you wake in the morning.
Speaker 1: Trust that the Holy Spirit is with you, filling you
Speaker 1: with his presence and peace. May your delight be in
Speaker 1: the Law of the Lord and on his Law. May
Speaker 1: you meditate day and night. Delighting in the Law of
Speaker 1: the Lord brings immense joy and fulfillment. Gerard Manly Hopkins
Speaker 1: found profound joy in the Scriptures, which inspired much of
Speaker 1: his poetry and guided his life. Imagine the joy that
Speaker 1: comes from discovering a hidden treasure, The excitement and wonder
Speaker 1: that fills your heart. This is the same joy that
Speaker 1: filled Hopkins's heart as he meditated on God's Word. It's
Speaker 1: a joy that is deep and abiding, not dependent on
Speaker 1: external sircumstances. Relax even more as I read one of
Speaker 1: Hopkins's most well loved poems, called God's Grandeur. Join in
Speaker 1: the delight and wonder he experienced in gazing at the
Speaker 1: Lord's work. The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
Speaker 1: It will flame out like shaaning from shook foil. It
Speaker 1: gathers to a greatness, like the ewes of oil crushed.
Speaker 1: Why do men then now not wreck his rod? Generations
Speaker 1: have trod, have trod, have trod, And all is seared
Speaker 1: with trade, bleared, smeared with toil, and wears man's smudge
Speaker 1: and shares man's smell. The soil is bare now, Nor
Speaker 1: can feet feel being shad And for all that this
Speaker 1: nature is never spent their lives the dearest freshness deep
Speaker 1: down things. And though the last lights off the black
Speaker 1: west went oh morning at the brown brink eastward springs,
Speaker 1: because the holy ghost over the bent world broods with
Speaker 1: warm breast and with ah bright wings. Let the devotion
Speaker 1: from Hobkin's heart infuse you with a child like awe
Speaker 1: and wonder. The light at God's handiwork overtook his very being.
Speaker 1: He saw the God of the Bible in every part
Speaker 1: of creation, even in the ooze of olive oil, when
Speaker 1: the olives were crushed. I believe he observed those beautiful,
Speaker 1: glossy olives as they were crushed, and he remembered the
Speaker 1: prophecy from Isaiah fifty three, verse five, that he was
Speaker 1: pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities.
Speaker 1: Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace. And
Speaker 1: with his wounds we are healed. Hopkins saw the God
Speaker 1: of new life and creation, and the ancient God who
Speaker 1: gave his people a beautiful law to abide by every day,
Speaker 1: in every part of his daily life. Consider the beauty
Speaker 1: of God's law. It is perfect and pure, a reflection
Speaker 1: of his holy character. Each commandment in teaching is like
Speaker 1: a precious gem shining with the light of truth and wisdom.
Speaker 1: As you meditate on these truths, let them fill your
Speaker 1: heart with joy and wonder. God's laws not a set
Speaker 1: of rules to be followed out of obligation, but a
Speaker 1: pathway to a life of abundance and peace. Hopkins's life
Speaker 1: was one of deep commitment and routine prayer, study and
Speaker 1: service marked his days. He rose early in the morning
Speaker 1: to begin his day with prayer, seeking God's guidance and strength.
Speaker 1: This time of communion with God was the foundation of
Speaker 1: his daily life, grounding him in the truth of God's Word.
Speaker 1: He was indeed a man of calm devotion. Throughout the day,
Speaker 1: Hopkins engaged in various activities, from teaching and preaching to
Speaker 1: writing and reflecting. His poetry, though often not widely appreciated
Speaker 1: during his lifetime, was an expression of his deep faith
Speaker 1: and his love for God's creation. As we just heard
Speaker 1: in God's Grandeur, Hopkins delighted in the beauty of God's
Speaker 1: handiwork in the world around him and sought to capture it.
Speaker 1: In his verses, his life sounds like a life of discipline,
Speaker 1: but delighting himself and the Lord actually formed its foundation,
Speaker 1: just like it did for the Psalmist. And indeed Hopkins
Speaker 1: was himself a Psalmist. We can read in his poetry
Speaker 1: that he did not merely live out a series of
Speaker 1: bland and dry religious practices. Oh No, we can read
Speaker 1: the joy and excitement that leaps off each stanza in verse.
Speaker 1: Whether he was spending time in the Word or meditating
Speaker 1: in God's creation, he was experiencing the joy of the Lord.
Speaker 1: Let the times you have experienced the joy of living
Speaker 1: according to God's word to fill your mind. Perhaps it
Speaker 1: was a moment of forgiveness when you let go of
Speaker 1: a grudge and felt the freedom that comes from releasing bitterness.
Speaker 1: Or maybe it was a time of generosity when you
Speaker 1: gave selflessly to someone in need and experienced the joy
Speaker 1: of being a blessing to others. These moments give us
Speaker 1: glimpses of the abundant life God desires for us. As
Speaker 1: you delight in the law of the Lord, let your
Speaker 1: heart be filled with gratitude. Thank God for his word,
Speaker 1: for the guidance and wisdom it provides. Thank Him for
Speaker 1: the moments of joy and peace that come from living
Speaker 1: according to his teachings. Let this gratitude fill your heart
Speaker 1: and mind as you rest. Let me pray for you
Speaker 1: one last time, Beautiful Jesus, our hero and champion, Thank
Speaker 1: you for bringing this child delight. As they let your
Speaker 1: words soak in their hearts. May they meditate effortlessly on
Speaker 1: your word as they sleep, and may it nourish them.
Speaker 1: And may they arise, revived and refreshed for the day tomorrow,
Speaker 1: ready to see your hand in everything your solutions coming
Speaker 1: for every problem. May they live a life of calm
Speaker 1: devotion to you, moment by moment, delighting in you all
Speaker 1: the time days of their life. In your precious name, Amen.
Speaker 1: I will close out our story on one final poem
Speaker 1: from Gerard Manly Hopkins called Hide Beauty, in which he
Speaker 1: marvels delightedly at God's unique creation. Glory be to God
Speaker 1: for dappled things, for skies of couple color as a
Speaker 1: brinded cow or rose moles, all in stipple upon trout
Speaker 1: that swim, fresh fire, coal, chestnut falls, finch his wings,
Speaker 1: landscape plotted in peaced fold, follow and plow, and all
Speaker 1: trades their gear and tackle and trim, all things counter original, spare, strange,
Speaker 1: whatever is fickle, freckled, Who knows how? With swift, slow,
Speaker 1: sweet sour, a dazzle dim He fathers forth, whose beauty
Speaker 1: is past change, Praise him,