The Kentucky Derby was this past Saturday. Someone in my house found it on television and became swept up in the pageantry and build-up (he will watch ANY type of competition!). The horses are bred from special bloodlines of past race winners. In fact, each of the 19 horses that raced in this year's derby were related in some way to Secretariat - the winner of the Triple Crown and record holder for fastest time at the Kentucky Derby (and I will research ANYTHING!). Horses are only eligible for the Kentucky Derby once in their entire lives - at 3 years old. They are bred and trained, and owners spend loads of money for that horse to run a two-minute race.

We have each been bought with a high price. We now trace our bloodline to the cross. We are training to run a race. Even if we live to be 100, our lives are only a vapor - 2 minutes when compared to eternity! We must run the race that God has planned for us. Regardless of the struggles, the weariness, the discouragement, or losses, there will come a day when our Father will say, "Well done".

Keep running.

"Every year, Love Life partners with thousands of believers from local churches and community leaders to prayer walk outside the darkest places in our cities – the local abortion center. Our “40 Week Journey of Hope” is based on a baby’s life in the womb from conception to birth. Every prayer walk consists of a time of prayer, worship, testimonies, the “tragic truth”, and an opportunity to connect with Love Life ministries beyond the prayer walk. This is not a protest, but a time of prayer and worship."

CCOG has been invited to join churches in the Lake Norman area to walk and pray. On Saturday, June 14 we will head to Uptown Charlotte from 9-10:30 am to pray for women who have a difficult decision to make. We will join with other believers to pray that they will choose life for their unborn babies.

Whatever season you’re in and however you are getting creative with Scripture intake, the following is one framework for meditation you might use.

It follows the acronym TASTE: think about it, ask questions, seek Jesus, take away truth, and enjoy God.

1. Think about It

As you prayerfully read a portion of Scripture, whether a few chapters or a few verses, choose a key verse to focus your meditation on, something that stands out to you. You might choose to write a verse in a journal or journaling Bible, as writing helps us think more clearly. Repetition also promotes clear thinking, so you may want to reread the surrounding verses a few times. You are priming your mind and heart for what’s to come.

2. Ask Questions

Once you have your verse identified and/or written down, get curious about it. Who was it originally written to, and why? What does it tell you about God, yourself, the church, the world, or the spiritual realm? What don’t you understand about it? What connections can you make within the verse and with other parts of the Bible? What do certain words mean, and why did the author choose those words? After trying to answer your own questions, if you have the time you might consult a study Bible or commentary for added help.

3. Seek Jesus

In all our meditating, we want to remember that it is possible to search the Scriptures and miss the main character. And we don’t want to miss Jesus! We want to discover him in all of God’s word, calling upon the Spirit to help us see and love the Son. For he is the point of the whole Bible and all our meditation.

4. Take Away Truth

This is what we might call application, or bringing the word home. We want God’s word to make a difference in our hearts (James 1:25), so we ask him to change us. You might take away a specific application from the Spirit; or you might rest in knowing that he is conforming you into God’s image by the word, whether you have a specific takeaway or not. The point, remember, is seeing and enjoying Jesus, and growing in our hunger for him.

5. Enjoy God

In everything, our ultimate goal is to hunger for God and be satisfied in him. This is what we were made for. Since our hearts are naturally dull to the most delightful reality in the universe, the aim of meditation is to awaken our hearts to truest delight, to fullest satisfaction—to the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6)—so we would be discontent with anything less than him and hunger for him more. May our meditation on the Word, through the word, lead to love, praise, and increasing delight. May it lead us to enjoy God.

Satisfied Souls

Whether we are snacking or feasting on Scripture, we want our souls to be satisfied in the Lord. We want to seek God in fresh, creative ways that keep us hungering for him and for his words. Rejecting boredom and apathy in favor of delight and desire, we want to meditate on who God is and what he has done and make our souls happy in him.