Prayerfully Reading Scripture
Maybe reading the Bible doesn’t feel as meaningful as it should. Maybe you’re just struggling to connect. Or maybe, you’re just not sure if you’re taking something out of context! We’ve been there.
Here’s a thought: If we’re always reading the Bible to be informed, we might be missing out on opportunities to be formed.
Sometimes we read the Bible expecting to “get” something out of it—like a catchy one-liner, or the answer to a question we have. And this can lead us to skim through some of the slower parts and stories we already know, or jump to conclusions about what a particular verse might mean.
This is why it can be helpful to slow down when we read the Bible, to let God speak to us in new ways we could not have expected. And that’s where we get a practice called “Lectio Divina”, or “Divine Reading”: a way of reading the Bible that both monks and everyday Christians have been practicing for 1,500 years.
What is Lectio Divina?
Basically, it’s a way of slowly reading a few verses of scripture several times, with an intentional focus each time—reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. The steps help us listen for what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through the text.
Why Lectio Divina?
Slowing down isn’t something we’re very good at. Most of us live every single day rushing from one thing to the next. What a practice like Lectio Divina does, is slow us down so we can have just a bit of space to hear what we would’ve otherwise rushed past. It’s an invitation to listen to Scripture expectant that God has something to say to us each time.
The best way to get a feel for it is by trying it, so we invite you to take 2 minutes and pray through this Psalm with us.
In case this is your only chance to pause today, be sure to get in a comfortable posture, take a few deep breaths, and dive in! (We added the original Latin names for the steps, in case you really want that Monk aesthetic )
Lectio Divina Steps
Step 1: Read (Lectio)
Read these verses slowly and prayerfully, listening for a word, image, or feeling to stand out to you. You may want to read the passage several times to allow space for discovery.
Psalm 73: 23-25
“I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
Pause
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward, you will take me into glory.
Pause
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
Step 2: Reflect (Meditatio)
Read the passage again.
When a word, image, or feeling stands out, pause, and reflect on it. Read that verse again. Ask God, why is this particular word meaningful to me right now?
Step 3: Respond (Oratio)
Read the passage a third time.
After reflecting on the word, image, or feeling, take a moment to respond to God. This might look like thanking him for speaking, asking a deeper question, or making a commitment to acting on what has been placed on your heart. What would you like to say to the Lord in response to the word spoken to you?
Step 4: Rest (Contemplatio)
Read the Scripture a final time.
Take one last moment to simply sit still in God’s presence, as you would in the presence of a friend or loved one. Remember, this prayer is not work you have to do, but rather allowing God to work in you.
Prayer: Father God, in the name of Jesus, I am repenting and returning to You. I confess that I still desire earthly blessings more than heavenly blessings. Your promise to Asaph, to guide him with Your counsel, and afterward, to take him into glory, is a promise that I want to believe for myself as well. “Into glory,” that is something that I want to desire more than anything in this life. I ask You to please cause me to desire it, and to desire You more than anything. I thank You for bringing me back after my latest wandering. Amen.
Note after sharing the devotional: I’ve practiced Lectio Divina a number of times, particularly during my years at the Vineyard. I’m currently aware of two main ways to read the Bible: one way is to read 3, 5, even 10 chapters a day, with the design of getting as much of Scripture in my purview as much as possible, which will accelerate the amount of time spent reading through the whole Word and shorten the time needed to go back and read through it again. In the short run, it might be less effective for memorizing Scripture, but in the long run, the idea (as I understand it) is that more of Scripture will be memorized and internalized simply by reading through all of it more often, made possibly only by consuming as much as possible each and every day. The other way is Lectio Divina. Yes, it is by far a lot less of Scripture at one time. But it is more focused, meditating on a few specific verses, reading and rereading (as described earlier in this post) and praying to God while doing it.
I don’t necessarily think one way is more right than the other. But, as I’m not a huge fan of simply reading (I do like to read, but I prefer to do it in short spurts and then create something in response, whether a literary response (a reflection), or a musical response. I like to create more than I like to read. As such, I have found the Lectio Divina practices to be the more preferable route. But both options are good.
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