Lectio Divina

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

Psalm 19 v 7 & 8

This week, I have once again been reminded of the beautiful practice of Lectio Divina.

Having broken my foot, I have been unable to walk around, and so sitting with my feet up, has been prescribed.
This is an ideal opportunity to rest and wait on the Lord, and I admit, that I have relished this time, to read, pray, ponder and meditate.

This is the way, I naturally prefer to read scripture, to let the reading be so slow and deliberate that it becomes a prayer.

Personally, I like to read bible verses and Psalms a few times, to really focus my heart and mind, and to really let their meaning sink into the depths of me.

In this world of constant distractions, I crave that special time, just resting in His presence.

 " Read under the eye of God,

Until your heart is touched,

And then,

Give yourself up to love. "

Macrina Wiederkehr

Lectio Divina is a way to practice giving God, our undivided attention.

To read prayerfully, and intentionally for transformation, and not just information.

To read with our hearts and not just our minds.

Traditionally we can take a passage of scripture with up to a dozen verses.

The goal, is not the number of verses we read, but to be nourished by scripture.

We then, read through the scripture four times, taking the time, to share our hearts with God as we slow down, listen, reflect and feel. 

When we pray, we speak to God, but in reading the Word, God speaks to us.

It is amazing, that as we slow down, and deeply read, words jump from the page and into our hearts. 

Lectio Divina provides a wonderful invitation to go deeper, and open up to what God wants to do in us.

As we dwell in that sacred space, we can enter into the greatest love affair the world has ever known, with the greatest lover the world has ever known!

I found a wonderful book on this subject called, 

" Meeting God in Scripture, " by Jan Johnson.

The second chapter invites you to read Luke 15 v 1 -7.

 Then, 

 Read, ( lectio)
 Reflect,(meditatio)
 Respond,(oratio)
 Rest, ( contemplatio)

In the early hours of this morning, I read these verses and they spoke to me like never before. 

I recalled vividly being lost and afraid as a child, and remembered with joy, the day my Heavenly Father found me.

I felt for a moment that I glimpsed, the precious heart of God, but it was so much more than that. 

It permeated my being, afresh, that God knew my heart, he knew me intimately, every inch and ounce of me, every heartbeat, every fear, every thought and every feeling.
In a precious moment of profound connection, I knew that God loved me so much and that He always had!

I love deep conversations, and this was like a deeply meaningful conversation with God.
A conversation that peels back layers of understanding, unearthing secrets locked inside for countless years.
Scripture came alive with a new depth, a new beauty and awe inspiring, symmetry and synchronicity.
These words spoken by Jesus, thousands of years ago, spoke directly to me, spoke to the deepest part of my heart, as though spoken and written just for me.

 " Since God is love. God can only be known in, and through love. "

St John of the Cross

After reading and reflecting, the most natural response is prayer. 

You have entered into the deepest level of relationship and communication with God.

The Holy Spirit, having revealed so much, prompts you to pour your heart out to Him, so often with tears and sighs too deep for words.

Charles Spurgeon said:

 For real business at the mercy seat, give me a homemade prayer, a prayer that comes out of the depths of my heart, not because I invented it, but because God the Holy Spirit put it there, and gave it such a living force that I could not help letting it come out. Though your words are broken, and your sentences are disconnected, if your desires are earnest, if they are like coals of juniper, burning with a vehement flame, God will not mind how they find expression. If you have no words, perhaps you will pray better without them. There are prayers that break the backs of words; they are too heavy for any human language to carry. 

Prayer, is Gods invitation into an intimate relationship of life and love with Him.

We are invited to pray 250 times in the bible, and there are 280 specific prayers.

We know that our Lord Jesus prayed constantly and kept that loving, heartfelt communication with His Father always open.

Our lives are so focused on doing, but I wonder if they shouldn't be more focused on praying, and if, more time, should not be spent, praying than doing.

After all, it is said that when we pray, God acts!

Then we rest, ~ contemplatio ~ here I like the Jewish idea of  " taking hold, and keeping Gods word in your heart. ( Proverbs 4 v 4)

 The word " Selah," appears often in the Psalms.
 One possible meaning, which I absolutely adore, is that it means to pause, to meditate, to pray and personally apply the words that you have just heard or read.
Even saying the word, " Selah," seems to resonate peace.

Eugene Peterson, in "Eat this book," describes the Practice of Lectio Divina as,

 " Receiving words in such a way, 

that they become interior to our lives, 

The rhythms and images,

Becoming practices of prayer,

Acts of obedience,

Ways of Love. "

 May these words of my mouth

And this meditation of my heart

Be pleasing in your sight,

Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19 v 14