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Remember, no matter what form or format of prayer you use, prayer is a relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A particular form of prayer is meant to lift up your heart to the Lord. Honesty and consistency in Acknowledging the thoughts, feelings and desires in your heart, Relating them to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Receiving from God light, love, understanding, and Responding to the personal experience of His love will be the hallmarks of a real and growing intimacy in prayer. Below is an outline of Lectio Divina that readily engages your heart and invites you into deeper prayer.
Lectio Divina
Let these four steps weave in and out of your time of reading. They may not follow in direct sequence. The Holy Spirit is the teacher of your prayer.
Lectio: Read a passage slowly. Pause when you feel your attention drawn to a word, phrase or thought.
Meditatio/Acknowledge: Ponder this passage and what it means for you. Use your imagination and engage your spiritual senses! Pay attention to, acknowledge, the thoughts, feelings, desires that accompany the detail that has arrested your attention. What truth strikes you from the passage? What jumps out at you? How does that truth impact your life? What does it say to you? Notice any images that come to mind or any memories that are stirred. Pay attention to what arrests your attention.
Oratio/Relate & Respond: Talk with God about the passage and your reflection. What thoughts, feelings and desires stir in your heart as you focus on what has arrested your attention? Share these thoughts, feelings and desires with God. What do you want to say to God? Do questions arise in your heart? Ask them of God. What are you drawn to? What bothers you? Tell God all about it. Use direct address, be honest, don’t filter.
Contemplatio/Receive: When moved by God, rest in the quiet presence of God. Surrender to grace. Where does your heart rest? If you experience His Love, if there is a movement of peace, joy or gratitude let yourself rest there. Is there clarity, wonder or amazement? Let it soak in. Be still, be quiet, savor God with you in His Word. Make clear that this moment is a gift to be received. When ready, return to your reading.
Wrap
This method of learning Lectio Divina helps the person be focused and concrete during prayer, while at the same time inviting the dynamics of acknowledging their thoughts, feelings and desires, relating them honestly to God, receiving the felt experience of God’s presence, power and love and responding in a concrete way sustained by the grace received. These are key habits to grow in real intimacy with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Begin with a prayer to the Holy Spirit that God’s holy word may come alive for you
and speak to your heart.
Write: As you read and re-read the passage, write down the verse or verses from the passage that grab your attention, inspire you, bother you, or speak to your heart. (Lectio)
Reflect: What truth is God showing you in the verse or word that you have written down? What is the principle or idea being communicated? What is God saying to you through this word? It can also be helpful to imagine the scene, reflecting on what feelings or desires are evoked. How am I moved by what is said/ done / what I notice? (Meditatio)
Apply: respond to this word in a concrete and specific way. Let the Lord inspire you to see how this word speaks into your life and circumstances in a way that makes a difference. How can you apply this message beginning today? (More Meditatio)
Pray, Praise and Pause: Write a prayer to God, telling him of what you have experienced in this time with His Word- your thoughts, your feelings, your desires, your questions, any memories that were stirred up. Pray the verses back to God in your own words. Try to pray from your heart about what the verses opened in your mind, your emotions, and your life. Write words of praise and thanks to God for his goodness, love and beauty and the particular light and blessings you have received in this time. (Oratio) When you are done writing, pause, and rest in His presence, let Him love you, receive grace and strength. (Contemplatio)
The gratitude in the prayer is important! It will focus your heart on the lived experience of God, and facilitates a fruitful resting as you pause.
30 Days of Prayer
Use your favorite prayer method from above to pray with one of the following passages each day for 30 days.
That I may have a whole new lived experience of your infinite and personal love for me, Lord.
1. Annunciation: Luke 1:26-38
2. Visitation: Luke 1:39-56
3. Nativity: Luke 2:1-20
4. Baptism: Mark 1:1-11
5. Good Shepherd: John 10:1-18
6. Washing of the Feet: John 13:1-15
7. Vine and the Branches: John 15:1-13
8. Jesus’ Prayer: John 17:20-26
That I may be amazed and overwhelmed with joy and gratitude because of your healing and merciful love for me, Jesus.
9. Temptation of Jesus: Matthew 4:1-11
10. Daughter of Jairus, Woman with a Hemorrhage: Mark 5:21-43
11. Healing of the Paralytic: Mark 2:1-12
12. Woman at the Well: John 4:1-26
13. Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32
14. Call of Simon: Luke 5:1-11
15. Parable of Forgiveness: Matthew 18:21-35
Jesus, that I can come to know you more intimately, you who became man for me, that I may love you more and follow you more closely.
16. Fulfilled in Your Hearing: Luke 4:14-22
17. Walking on the Water: Matthew 14:22-33
18. Have no Anxiety: Matthew 6:25-32
19. Beatitudes: Matthew 5:1-12
20. Our Father: Luke 11:1-13
21. Rich Young Man: Matthew 19:16-30
22. Bread from Heaven: John 6:32-59
23. Transfiguration: Luke 9:28-36
24. The Sinful woman: Luke 7:36-50
25. The Agony in the Garden: Matthew 26:36-56
26. The Crucifixion: Luke 23:33-43
Jesus, that I me be glad and rejoice intensely because of the glory of your resurrection.
27. Road to Emmaus: Luke 24: 13-33
28. Mary Magdalene: John 20:11-18
29. The Seven Disciples: John 21:1-19
30. Thomas: John 20:19-31