Francis Wood Church Matters; Meditation In A Taxicab

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Feb 9, 2008

Byline: FRANCIS WOOD

THIS church is open for private prayer and meditation, said the notice on the door. The taxi had pulled up for the lights and the driver and I saw the notice together.

"Does anybody go in for meditation these days?" he asked. "It sounds a bit beyond people like me."

I said that I could understand. Meditation has been preached about with such respect that people think it's just for those on the top table in the church.

Yet meditation is simple and it's for everyone. The main problem is time. If you don't think it's worth it, you'll never find the time. If you can find five or 10 minutes in the day then it could be a useful addition to your prayers.

Every faith includes meditation. For Christians it means focussing your mind on some aspect of the Lord. You could try a little test series.

Choose one of the appearances of Jesus after Easter. He was seen in the upper room, on the sea shore, on the Road to Emmaus.

Try a meditation on the sea shore sighting. Find a place where you can be quiet and read the story in St John's Gospel, chapter 21. Get the feel of the scene slowly, using all your senses.

What can you see or hear? Can you taste the sea salt on your lips or smell the seaweed? Perhaps you feel the texture of the sand between your toes? If you have nothing to say, don't worry.

Remember that when friends are together they don't talk all the time.

Does the Lord want to say something to you? Is there something you'd like to share with him or that you'd rather hide from him? Tell him all the same. Just spend time together as you would with anyone you can trust. Then say a simple prayer like, "Lord help me to trust you and to follow in your way."

That's meditation. You might remember it like this.

Pause, picture, ponder, pray, promise. The method is simple but the rewards can be great.

"Give it a try," I told the taximan. "Not while I'm driving," he said.