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Good afternoon Friends, 

In the peace and calm of this beautiful winter day, we are passing along an ancient tradition that offers a time of prayer and reflection of God’s word called Lectio Divina. You may choose to practice this today or during our normal time of worship in the morning (or on both days!).

One ancient practice central to Christian prayer is called lectio divina or “divine reading.” In lectio divina, we begin by choosing your own passage of scripture or use one of the following suggestions: Psalm 23, John 4:7-15, 1 John 4:7-19, or Philippians 2:1-11.  Our inner posture is one of a listening heart with an unhurried expectation that God has a message to convey, especially suited to our circumstances. We read and ruminate with the ears of our heart open, alert to any connections the Spirit may reveal between the passage and our life situation. We ask, “What are you saying to me today, Lord?” Listening in this way requires patient receptivity in which we let go of our own agendas and open ourselves to God’s shaping purpose. 

Once we have heard a word we know is meant for us, we feel naturally drawn to prayer. From listening, we move to speaking—perhaps in confession or sorrow, perhaps in joy or thanksgiving, perhaps in anger or hurt, perhaps in trust or surrender. Finally, after pouring out our hearts to God, we come to rest simply and deeply in the wonderful, loving presence of God.

Reading, reflecting, responding, and resting—this forms the basic rhythm of lectio divina. God is present in you through the Spirit who speaks to you in scripture and prays in you and for you. Ask for grace to listen to what God says, then choose one of the short biblical passages here and follow the steps: read, reflect, respond, and rest.

1. Read the scripture slowly.

Watch for a key phrase or word that jumps out at you or promises to hold a special meaning for you. It is better to dwell profoundly on one word or phrase than to skim the surface of several chapters. Read with your own life and choices in mind.

2. Reflect on a word or phrase.

Let the special word or phrase that you discovered in the first step sink into your heart. Bring mind, will, and emotions to task. Be like Mary, Jesus’ mother, who heard the angel’s announcement and “treasured” and “pondered” what she had heard (Luke 2:19).

3. Respond to what you have read.

Form a prayer that expresses your response to the idea, then “pray it back to God.” What you have read is woven through what you tell God.

4. Rest in God’s presence.

Be still and let God’s loving spirit pour out on you.

Here is a summary of instructions for the Lectio Divina practice taken from the Upper Room.  (https://www.upperroom.org/resources/lectio-divina-praying-the-scriptures)