Pause

I’m using the word ‘pause/s’ to mean times of stopping and spending time with God – not because it is the best word just because it is makes sense and works!

Below you will find details for each of these different ways to spend time with God:

Art -  Pauses with God making use of creativity
Breathing - Pauses involving our natural breathing.
Devotionals - Devotionals people have found helpful – find others at Koorong or online.
Examen - An ancient exercise of reflection to increase our awareness of God’s presence through the day.
Fasting - A choice to go without, in order to focus 
Journaling - Ideas of how you could use journaling to pause with God.
Lectio Divina - An ancient spiritual practise of reading the Bible to encounter God.
Meditations - Meditations for helping us to pause. Meditate – to ponder, chew, think deeply.
Music - Ideas of how we can use music to help us pause.
Prayers of Old - Prayers of old (incl. liturgy) and ideas for how you can use them.
Psalms - Pause using the Psalms.
Study - Resources to help us study God’s written word.
Thankfulness - Thankfulness in pauses.
The Lord’s Prayer - Pausing with God using The Lord’s Prayer.
Worship - Worship ideas for pause moments.

Select a bible passage or verse that is a part of your journey with God at the moment or one that continues to come up for you across years, reflect on it prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to  give you an image and an emotional response to guide your investigation. Then use that instinct to select colours and materials. Put on a piece of music that helps you be aware of the presence of God. And then don’t think and don’t judge. Just make marks and see what comes.

Begin a pause by concentrating on your breathing, taking slow and deep breaths. It helps to still our thoughts and be present in that moment.

Helpful Ted Talk on how to breathe deeply -Breathe to Heal by Max Strom

Focus on breathing for a few minutes, imagine God’s life giving breath entering you as you breathe in. As His breath moves through you what does it bring?… healing, life, hope, comfort, truth etc? Imagine it reaching every part of you. What comes out of you as you breath out?… worship, love, sorrow?

The YHWH Prayer (Richard Rohr)
A rabbi taught this prayer to me many years ago. The Jews did not speak God’s name, but breathed it with an open mouth and throat: inhale—Yah; exhale—weh. By our very breathing we are speaking the name of God and participating in God’s breath. This is our first and our last word as we enter and leave the world.
Breathe the syllables with open mouth and lips, relaxed tongue:

Inhale—Yah
Exhale—weh

During a period of meditation, perhaps twenty minutes, use this breath as a touchstone. Begin by connecting with your intention, your desire to be present to God. Breathe naturally, slowly, and deeply, inhaling and exhaling Yah-weh. Let your focus on the syllables soften and fall away into silence. If a thought, emotion, or sensation arises, observe but don’t latch on to it. Simply return to breathing.
You may be distracted numerous times. And perhaps your entire practice will be full of sensations clamoring for attention. Contemplation is truly an exercise in humility! But each interruption is yet another opportunity to return to Presence, to conscious participation in God’s life.

Many booklet style devotionals e.g…
Daily Bread by Scripture Union
Every Day with Jesus by Selwyn Hughes

Online:
My Utmost for His Highest - The classic by Oswald Chambers
https://utmost.org/ 
Sacred Space - Free daily devotionals
http://www.sacredspace.ie/daily-prayer
Bible Gateway -  Pay a small monthly fee to have access to a wide variety of devotionals
https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/
He Reads Truth - For Him, free on web, costs on phone
https://hereadstruth.com/ 
She Reads Truth - For Her, free on web, costs on phone
https://shereadstruth.com/ 

The Prayer of Examen is a daily spiritual exercise typically credited to St. Ignatius of Loyola [1491- 1556], who encouraged fellow followers to engage in the practice for developing a deeper level of spiritual sensitivity and for recognising and receiving the assistance of the Holy Spirit. At the heart of the practice is increasingly becoming aware of God’s presence and the Holy Spirit’s movement throughout your day

THE PRAYER OF EXAMEN - Summary Guide    
Finding the movement of the Spirit in our daily lives as we review our day.
1. Recognize the presence of God  
Be still and know that you are with God.
2. Look at your day with gratitude   
Acknowledge God in the big and small things of life.
3. Review your day    
When or where in the past 24 hours did you feel you were cooperating most fully with God’s action in your life? When were you resisting?
4. Ask yourself
What habits and life patterns do I notice?
When did I feel most alive? Most drained of life?
When did I have the greatest sense of belonging? When did I feel most alone?
When did I give love? Where did I receive love?
When did I feel most fully myself? Least myself?
When did I feel most whole? Most fragmented?
5. Reconcile and Resolve
Seek forgiveness
Ask for direction
Share a concern
Express gratitude
Resolve to move forward

As you choose to pause with God you may consider fasting. Here is a helpful article…
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners

Journaling is simply writing our reflections on paper.
It can be helpful to do alongside many of the ‘pauses’ found in these resources.

Writing prayers to God. 
This can help us to concentrate and as it takes time it can help us to find the right words to express what is on our hearts/ in our minds. Record anything you hear from God.

Lectio Divina is an ancient spiritual practice from the Christian monastic tradition. Its title derives from the Latin words meaning reading and divine/holy. In Lectio Divina, we seek to experience the presence of God through reading and listening, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

Practising Lectio Divina
 1.  Text
Begin by choosing a section of the Bible that you would like to read and pray.  Some good passages to begin with are listed below. Try not to set a goal for how much content you will cover; the goal is to listen for God and to experience his presence.

2.  Preparation
Do what you must to quiet and prepare yourself to hear from God. If you need to find a quiet room, sit in silence for several minutes, or sit in a comfortable chair, take whatever posture will help you prepare to receive and experience God’s presence.

3. Reading/Listening
When you sense that your heart is prepared, begin by slowly reading the passage of the Bible that you have selected. Move slowly through sentences and phrases. As you read, pay attention to what word, phrase, or idea catches your attention.

4. Meditation
Next, begin to meditate on the word, phrase, or idea that has captured your attention. Repeat it again and again. Consider:
What thoughts come to mind as you meditate on this word, phrase, or idea?
What are you reminded of in your life?
What does it make you hope for?
Meditation is no easy task—as you try to concentrate don’t be disappointed if random thoughts enter your head. As they do, offer them to God.

5. Prayer
Now begin to speak to God. Tell God what word, phrase, or idea captured your attention and what came to mind as you meditated upon it. How is God using this word, phrase, or idea to bless and transform you? Tell God what you have been thinking and feeling as you’ve listened and meditated. Tell God how you hope this word, phrase, or idea will change your heart to be more like His.

6. Contemplation
Finish by focusing your attention on the fact that God’s presence is with you. If as you try to focus on God’s presence you sense a need to read the text again, to continue meditating, or to simply continue talking with God, allow yourself to do so. As you do, know that you are in the presence of God.
Suggested passages to begin with:

Introduce a time of silence with God by saying aloud…
"Be still and know that I am God"
"Be still and know that I am"
"Be still and know"
"Be still"
Based on Psalm 46:10

Meditate on bible verses
- Memorise a verse.
Repeat one aloud emphasising a different word in the sentence each time you repeat it.
Imagine pictorially what the verse is saying.

Meditation on Bible stories with the Senses
Take a deep breath and ask God to speak to you.
Choose one of these stories of Jesus…
Jesus & Peter walking on the water – Matthew 14:22-33  
Jesus healing the paralyzed man- Luke 5:17-26
The bleeding woman – Luke 8:42b-50  
Mary at the tomb – John 20:11-18

Read the story slowly twice.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself there. Use your senses to guide your imagination.
What can you see? What can you hear? What can you smell? What can you feel? What can you taste?

Who are you in the story? One of the crowd? One of the disciples? The person Jesus is speaking with?

Watch the story unfold.
When the story comes to a close call out to Jesus.
Call Him again and ask Him… “Is there anything you want to say to me Jesus?”

Listen.

Turn up some music and ask God to direct your mind’s wonderings. Ask Him questions that come to you as your imagination wonders.
Write out a favourite hymn or chorus, pondering on the words then sing it out.
Quiet music can be played through many pause moments – best without words if background.

Down through the years many prayers have been written and prayed aloud in community.

As you read through them do any resonate? If so you might pray that one prayer daily for a week or so, pondering on each aspect of the prayer, imagining people through the centuries praying it, imagining God listening to His people pray. Is there anything God want to reveal to you as you pray.
Illustrate a prayer, praying as you do.

The Shema
The ancient Jewish daily prayer is unpacked in https://thebibleproject.com/explore/shema-listen/ 
Having watched the series, pray the Shema prayer daily for a week or so.

Prayers and Blessings
Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
(Anglican Communion Praise)

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen
(From Anglican Communion Prayer of Preparation)

O Christ, our Morning Star, Splendour of Light Eternal, shining with the glory of the rainbow, come and waken us from the greyness of our apathy, and renew in us your gift of hope. Amen.
(Bede the Venerable)

God who has called you is faithful.
Go into the world with joy, forgive generously, love extravagantly, live abundantly.
And the blessing of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be upon you now and forever. Amen.
(Australian Anglican Communion Prayer 2009)

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
(Gloria in Excelsis)

Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought, in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen.
(Anglican Confession)

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.
(Anglican Prayer of Penitence)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
(Doxology)

Lord, you are closer to me than my own breathing,
nearer than my hands and feet.
(St Teresa of Avila)

May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.
(Anglican Blessing)

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]. Who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. Who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
 (Nicene Creed – translation)

Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work. I give you my feet to go your way. I give you my eyes to see as you do. I give you my tongue to speak your words. I give you my mind that you may think in me. I give you my spirit that you may pray in me.
Above all, I give you my heart that you may love in me your Father and all mankind. I give you my whole self that you may grow in me, so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me.
The Grail Prayer

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead, His eye to watch, his might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, his shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech, His heavenly host to be my guard.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
from ‘St Patrick’s Breastplate’

God be in my head and in my understanding. God be in my eyes and in my looking. God be in my mouth and in my speaking. God be in my heart and in my thinking. God be at my end and at my departing.
Sarum Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
The Jesus Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon, where there is doubt, faith, where there is despair, hope, where there is darkness, light, and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
(attributed to St Francis of Assisi)

Lord Jesus Christ, you have said that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Do not allow us to stray from you, who are the Way, not to distrust you, who are the Truth, nor to rest in anything other than you, who are the Life.
(Erasmus)

Thanks be to you, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given me, for all the pains and insults which you have borne for me. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may I know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day.
(St Richard of Chichester)

O Lord, you know how busy I must be this day. If I forget you, do not forget me.
(Sir Jacob Astley, before the Battle of Edgehill, 1642)

Look, Lord, on an empty vessel that needs to be filled. In faith I am weak – strengthen me. In love I am cold – warm me and make me fervent so that my love may go out to my neighbour. I doubt and am unable to trust you completely. Lord, strengthen my faith and trust in you. You are all the treasure I possess. I am poor, you are rich, and you came to have mercy on the poor. I am a sinner, you are goodness. From you I can receive goodness, but I can give you nothing. Therefore I shall stay with you.
(Martin Luther)

O Lord my God, thank you for bringing this day to a close. Thank you for giving me rest in body and soul. Your hand has been over me and has guarded and preserved me. Forgive my lack of faith and any wrong that I have done today, and help me to forgive all who have wronged us.
Let me sleep in peace under your protection, and keep me from all the temptations of darkness. Into your hands I commend my loved ones. I commend to you my body and soul. O God, your holy name be praised.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

Eternal God, who are the light of the minds that know you, the joy of the hearts that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you; grant us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
(St Augustine)

Read a Psalm each day or choose a Psalm to read every day for a week. Ask God to guide you to which Psalm to choose.
Devotional based on the Psalms -The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms by Timothy Keller.

Tom Wright for Everyone – these amazing commentaries help you to gain more insight around the bible. They provide historical information and analysis that you don't always get from simply reading the bible. Books are available to borrow. Contact the office.

Choose a short book from the Bible and read commentaries. Explore Bible Gateway and Bible Hub for definitions and commentaries.

The Bible Project https://thebibleproject.com tells the stories of the Bible in with illustrations.

KYB - a.k.a. Know Your Bible - study groups for women http://www.cwciaus.org.au/know-your-bible/what-is-know-your-bible

Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Write a list of things you are thankful for and tell God you are thankful.

Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Write the Lord’s Prayer in your own words.

Say the Lord’s Prayer slowly, pondering on each section.

Pray a line of the Lord’s Prayer then continue to pray about that line, then go onto the next line.

Read it aloud in different languages.

Put on some worship music and sing along.

Write your own words/poem/song of worship.