Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Sleep Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's meditation
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Speaker 3: and body as we hear tonight's sleep story.
Speaker 2: Hellar and welcome to the sleep story from Abide. I'm Chloe,
Speaker 2: and it's wonderful that you're here to join me for
Speaker 2: our story Melodic bless. If you're in need of a
Speaker 2: night of harmonious pace and bless, you have chosen the
Speaker 2: right place to be here listening to this story, safe
Speaker 2: and warm in the bosom of God. Tonight, we will
Speaker 2: be inspired by First Chronicles sixteen, verse nine from the
Speaker 2: Bible in basic English. Let your voice be sounded in
Speaker 2: songs and malady. Let all your thoughts be of the
Speaker 2: wonder of His works. In the light of this scripture,
Speaker 2: we will follow a young Jewish girl named Rivka in
Speaker 2: ancient Israel. Through her day we will hear how her
Speaker 2: life is a tapestry of devotion, music, and unwavering faith.
Speaker 2: Her story is a tale woven with the threads of
Speaker 2: love for God, of the Hebrew Liar, and the sweet,
Speaker 2: blissful rest that comes from a heart filled with the
Speaker 2: Holy Spirit. Sing to Him, Sing praises to him, Speak
Speaker 2: of all his wonders. If music and malady particularly spect
Speaker 2: your heart during this time, God will make his word
Speaker 2: come alive in you even more, and you will hear
Speaker 2: his sweet voice singing a gentle lullaby over you as
Speaker 2: you fall asleep. The bliss of the presence of God's
Speaker 2: Holy Spirit will fill you and flow over you and
Speaker 2: bring you into a state of complete calm. Your thoughts
Speaker 2: will be focused on the many wonders of His works.
Speaker 2: Perhaps a song will rise up in your heart towards God,
Speaker 2: and He will give you a new song to sing
Speaker 2: to him, a song of praise to your God. He
Speaker 2: loves you so deeply, and He has endless streams of
Speaker 2: affection to shower upon you right now and all the
Speaker 2: days of your life. Sing to Him, Sing praises to Him,
Speaker 2: Speak of all his wonders. In the heart of ancient Israel,
Speaker 2: nestled among rolling fields and serene landscapes, lived a young
Speaker 2: Jewish girl seventeen years old named Revka. Revka's day began
Speaker 2: before the sun peaked over the horizon. The daylight was
Speaker 2: hazy and covered in pastel shades, and the lambs were
Speaker 2: only just starting to wake and bleat for their breakfast.
Speaker 2: Rivka rose to greet her day of chores before any
Speaker 2: of her other siblings or parents awakened. The crisp morning
Speaker 2: air filled her lungs as she stepped outside her family's
Speaker 2: modest clay home. Though her mind awoke slowly after a
Speaker 2: deep sleep, her thoughts began to clear from the night streams.
Speaker 2: Her heart started to sing praise as to God, those
Speaker 2: thoughts of the daunting tasks tried to impose. She fixed
Speaker 2: her minds on the words of King David, sang to
Speaker 2: the Lord a new song, Sing to the Lord all
Speaker 2: the Earth from Psalm ninety six one. She knew worship
Speaker 2: could shift even the most gloomy of moods, so she
Speaker 2: had cultivated a conscious practice of worship. When she felt
Speaker 2: most overwhelmed, she walked to the well her steps light
Speaker 2: and purposeful. As she drew out the water, she hummed
Speaker 2: a familiar malady, a song of worship that had been
Speaker 2: passed down through many generations. The lyrics originated from the
Speaker 2: Scroll of Numbers, chapter twenty one. Then Israel sang this song,
Speaker 2: sprang up, oh Wow, sang about it, about the well,
Speaker 2: that the prince was dug, that the nobles of the
Speaker 2: people sank, the nobles with scepters and staffs. Her sweet voice,
Speaker 2: though quiet, brimmed with passion and reverence. She had been
Speaker 2: waking up extra early every morning for this daily ritual
Speaker 2: for a few years, and she had grown to see
Speaker 2: it not as a chore, but as an opportunity to
Speaker 2: connect with God and prepare her heart for the day ahead.
Speaker 2: When she finished drawing the water for her family and
Speaker 2: feeding and watering the family's humble group of livestock, she
Speaker 2: looked up to the sun. The glowing orb was rising
Speaker 2: higher in the sky, comforting her with a gentle stream
Speaker 2: of warmth, while the morning chill still hung in the air.
Speaker 2: By the placement of the sun, she could tell it
Speaker 2: was time for her parents and siblings to start getting up. Presently,
Speaker 2: she walked back through the cobbled streets to her home.
Speaker 2: She greeted her parents and little siblings with warmarks and
Speaker 2: went to her room. In the corner of Rivka's room,
Speaker 2: leaning against the wall, rested her most treasured possession, the Kinor,
Speaker 2: a beautiful Hebrew liar. Its strings shimmered in the early light,
Speaker 2: inviting her to play. Rivka learned to play the kinnor
Speaker 2: from her father, who had learned from his father before him.
Speaker 2: Each note she played spoke a tribute to her ancestors
Speaker 2: and an offering to the Almighty. As she skillfully strums
Speaker 2: the strings, her bedroom filled with a gentle, soothing melody.
Speaker 2: Rivka closed her eyes and let the music guide her thoughts.
Speaker 2: Her soul danced with the notes, each one lifting her
Speaker 2: closer to God. She recalled the words of Psalm seventy one,
Speaker 2: verse twenty two. I will praise you with the harp
Speaker 2: for your faithfulness.
Speaker 1: My God.
Speaker 2: I will sing praise to you with the liar, Holy
Speaker 2: One of Israel. As she sat on the floor, strum
Speaker 2: and singing the lilting tune of worship, all her anxiety
Speaker 2: melted away. The worries about her family, their health and
Speaker 2: well being, their financial provisions, whether they would have enough
Speaker 2: to eat tomorrow, or whether they would have sufficient food
Speaker 2: for their cattle. All these concerns began to dissolve and
Speaker 2: to fizzle away. Her instrument tethered her to the Lord,
Speaker 2: directing her to sing her surrender to Him and God's
Speaker 2: gift to her. As she played, the kind or was
Speaker 2: to fill her soul with a melodic bless a state
Speaker 2: of freedom from anxiety, freedom from the cares and concerns
Speaker 2: about tomorrow, a perfect kind of peace. She forgot the
Speaker 2: passage of time as she sat frozen in the sweetness
Speaker 2: of that moment. But shortly she heard her mother's voice
Speaker 2: from the kitchen, calling for Rivka to go to the
Speaker 2: local market to sell their wares. She kept the lyre
Speaker 2: with her to take to the market so she could
Speaker 2: play during slower times, and joyfully ran to her mother.
Speaker 2: She gave her mother a big hug, grabbed the coin
Speaker 2: purse in her outstretched hand, and gnosed on a delicious
Speaker 2: piece of crusty bread for breakfast before heading out the door.
Speaker 2: The demands of the chores and community responsibilities filled daily
Speaker 2: life in ancient Israel. Market day was especially hectic, with
Speaker 2: people bustling about trading goods and exchanging news. Rivka brought
Speaker 2: her family's fresh figs, grapes, and hand crafted shawls to sell,
Speaker 2: setting up her store among the throngs of villagers. Despite
Speaker 2: the noise and activity, Rivka's heart remained focused on God.
Speaker 2: She interacted with customers and whispered prayers under her breath,
Speaker 2: asking for wisdom and patience, especially with some of the
Speaker 2: more stubborn hagglers. She remembered the scripture from Exodus fifteen
Speaker 2: to two. The Lord is my strength and my song,
Speaker 2: and he has become my salvation. This is my God,
Speaker 2: and I will praise her, my Father's God, and I
Speaker 2: will exult him. Amidst the busyness, Rivka found moments to
Speaker 2: pause and reflect. She occasionally stepped away from the crowd,
Speaker 2: found a quiet spot and played her kinnor. The music
Speaker 2: soothed her and helped her center her thoughts and reconnect
Speaker 2: with her creator. She sang softly from Psalm twenty eight,
Speaker 2: her voice mingling with the gentle breeze. The Lord as
Speaker 2: my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in him
Speaker 2: and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and
Speaker 2: with my song I praise him. These moments of reflection
Speaker 2: served as an oasis in the desert, providing refreshment and strength.
Speaker 2: Rivka knew that no matter how demanding life became, she
Speaker 2: could always find solace in worship and music. She had
Speaker 2: always found God's presence and strength and worship. Life was
Speaker 2: not always easy for Rivka and her family. There had
Speaker 2: been times of great hardship, seasons when their olive crops
Speaker 2: had not yielded as expected, or illness struck their household.
Speaker 2: During these challenging times, Ryke's faith was put to the test.
Speaker 2: Several months earlier, a severe drought threatened their livelihood. The
Speaker 2: fields were dry and the river beds cracked under the
Speaker 2: relaf lentless son. Fear and uncertainty loomed over not just
Speaker 2: her family, but the whole village. But Rivka clung persistently
Speaker 2: to her faith, reminding herself every day of the words
Speaker 2: of Isaiah. You will keep in perfect peace those whose
Speaker 2: minds are steadfast because they trust in You. Now let
Speaker 2: me pray for you one last time. Dear Heavenly Father,
Speaker 2: make her of music and giver of melodies. We worship you.
Speaker 2: Thank you for causing your child to feel your gentle
Speaker 2: presence and encouragement to their souls. Whatever their days will face,
Speaker 2: they can run to you, sing their songs of praise
Speaker 2: to you, and hear you over them. In turn, You
Speaker 2: are mighty to save, and for that reason we can
Speaker 2: sing to you with all our hearts. We will praise
Speaker 2: here with the harp for your faithfulness, our God. We
Speaker 2: will sing praise to you with the liar, Holy One
Speaker 2: of Israel. Amen, sing to him, Sing praises to him,
Speaker 2: Speak of all his wonders. As you sleep, precious child
Speaker 2: of God, find peace in his presence. Nothing needs to
Speaker 2: be forced. You don't need to strain or strive. Just be,
Speaker 2: be still in his ever loving presence. May you hear
Speaker 2: as heavenly lullabies over you, as he pours out his
Speaker 2: love on you. May you lift up your spirit to
Speaker 2: adore him and draw close to him, sinking deeper into
Speaker 2: his melodic bliss. Once more, I will recite First Chronicles sixteen,
Speaker 2: verse nine. Let your voice be sounded in songs and melody.
Speaker 2: Let all your thoughts be of the wonder of his works.
Speaker 1: You up through Him,