Permanent Markers: A Hands-on Family Devotional of Spiritual Life SkillsSample

Meditation: On Keeping Quiet

Play & Talk It Out:

Give everyone either candy to suck on, gum to chew, or a cup of warm water with a teabag alongside.

Take a few seconds to focus on the flavor in your mouths or watch tea blend into the water before they sip it.

What’s something hard to get out of your mind lately (…even video games)?

Meditation is a spiritual life skill that’s like paying attention to something for a long time. It’s what we chew or suck on—like gum or candy—or what we steep in, like a teabag in water.

We automatically “meditate” when we worry or when we’re excited or planning something.

But our hearts “chew” on so many things. Meditating on God and His Word is like trying to hear one voice in a busy restaurant.

(To one family member:) When I count to three, I’m going to say something to you in a normal voice.

Everyone else: When I count to three, say something—anything—loud (not yelling). (Try this.)

(Did the listening family member hear you?)

Once, Elijah was told God would be speaking with him. But God wasn’t in a big earthquake or a huge wind. Anyone remember how God did speak to him?

(A whisper.)

What keeps us from being quiet inside of us, so that we can hear God in His Word or our hearts?

Screens make it hard. Worry makes it hard (instead of paying attention to God, we “meditate” on our fear!). Crammed schedules make it hard, too—and even our stuff that we own (see Mark 4:19).

So here are ways we can make space to be with God this week:

● Make a poster, or even a jigsaw puzzle, of a verse.

● Lay on your back in the grass, under the stars, or on your bed.

● If you have a phone, turn it off for a while. Go for a walk or a hike.

● Take pictures of creation that remind you of God.

● Write a song.

● Drink a cup of tea, praying and listening.

● Trace around your body (on butcher paper or with sidewalk chalk), drawing and labeling the armor of God (Ephesians 6).

● Put a verse in a zipping plastic bag, and use a little water to stick it to the shower wall for you to think about there.

● Color Scripture coloring pages while listening to worship music.