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Lectio Divina
If you’re familiar with Lectio Divina, pick a verse or two from Psalm 32 and enjoy it. However, if you’re unfamiliar with Lectio Divina, then I'm afraid your life is woefully incomplete. Don’t worry though; it is easy to learn, and will enrich the rest of your natural life if you use it.What's Lectio Divina?
Latin for “Divine Reading” Lectio Divina is a Christian practice
of meditation that dates back to the third century.
Why Should I Meditate?
If God commanding his people to mediate on his word (Joshua 1:8) isn’t enough motivation
for you then go ahead and check out some articles about the benefits of
meditation in Psychology
Today, MIT
News, or The
Houston Chronicler. Meditation is
really good for you in almost every conceivable way; as the more has been learned about mediation more and more health experts have been promoting it. A lot of
Christians are wary of meditation because some eastern religions teach
meditation. Some eastern religions also
teach compassion, but this would be a very bad reason for us to throw away our long history of compassion. In fact there is no excuse for a Christian not to practice compassion; God commanded it, and he
commands meditation as well (Colossians
3:12).
How Do I Mediate?
Honestly the Wikipedia entry on Lectio
Divina is pretty good, but just in case that’s too much history and jargon for
you I’ve broken it down for you real simply:
To Practice Lectio Divina:
Prepare
Clear your mind and environment of distractions. Turn off your music and close your other tabs. Break deeply and be aware of your thoughts.
Read
Read a verse or two. I recommend Psalm 32:1 for today.
Read your selection repeatedly, and allow it to fill your thoughts.
Reflect
Turn the verse over in your mind, looking at it from new
perspectives. What does it mean? What is God saying to you today?
Pray
Pray. React in prayer
to the verse or verse you just read and thought about. Praise God, make requests, and voice
anxieties. God is listening.
Contemplate
Be still and know the Lord is God. Be quiet.
God hears your prayers and he answers them. He loves you very much and is with you.
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