Getting more out of Devotions (Lectio Divina)

This post is about a practice that has assisted my time with God. If your devotional time has gotten a little stale, maybe this could help you.

The practice is an old one and has been called lectio divina. Basically, lectio divina is a practice which focuses on small passages of Scripture, slowly reading, silence, and using repetition.

SSSR :
Small Scripture passages
Slowly reading
Silence
Repetition

The reason it has been helpful for me is probably the same reason it will assist you. As Americans, we are fast-paced, noisy, and goal-oriented. Lectio Divina helps combat these traits by intentionally slowing us down, providing space to be quiet and hear the voice of God, and helping us rest in God's Word without some agenda or quota of large amounts of Scripture to read.

There are many different ways you can structure this practice. What I will share next does not necessarily have to be the only way, but is the way I learned and what I have enjoyed.

1) Select a time/place that is distraction free/quiet
2) Use 1-10 verses maximum.
3) Read through the passage slowly.
4) After reading, be quiet for 2-3 minutes. Enjoy God's Presence. Do not speak, or think prayers in your head (You will be tempted to talk to God and start praying in silence, or you mind will start thinking random thoughts-try to bring yourself back to focus if you stray or start talking, remember you want to listen and be still-NOT TALK), attempt to simply be still and listen.
5) Read through the passage again.
6) Highlight any verses that jump out to you or speak to you personally.
7) Be silent before the Lord again for 2-3 minutes. If your mind wanders recall the verse that jumped out at you or say out loud, "Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner." And then when focused again, continue to be silent.
-Another helpful thought that helps me get back on track if I am wandering is : I might pose the question, "What is the chief end of man, to enjoy Him forever." This seems to work well at bringing me back to the point of enjoying God's presence, not having to talk, not having to do anything, just enjoying Him.
8) Read through only the highlighted verses if you wish or the entire passage.
9) Repeat time of silence.
10) Read through fourth time highlighted verses or entire passage.
11) Repeat time of silence.

Play with this technique, mold it, shape it, own it. Make it your own with your own methods. If you are enjoying God, then you are doing it right. If you are not, give it up and don't use it.

Upon researching possible texts to use when beginning lectio divina, I ran across these passages which may be good to start with and from there I encourage you to explore on your own where God wants you to spend time in his Word:
Psalm 24 *(Remember, tackle only 1-10 verses at a time!)
Psalm 25
Psalm 84
Psalm 51 (Cleansing from sin)
Psalm 16:9-11 (Assurance in heaven)
Prov. 16:1-3 (Trusting in God's ways)
Matt 5:3-10 (Beattitudes)
John 17:6-19 (Jesus' prayer over disciples)
John 17:20-26 (Jesus' prayer over future believers)
Romans 12:9-13 (Love)
1John 5-9 (God is light, walk in the light)
Job 42:1-6 (Seeing God)
Genesis 1 (Creation)
Deut. 30:14-20 (Love God)
Exodus 4:11-12 (God will teach you what to say)
Psalm 119: 103-105 (Word of God)
Phil 3:7-14 (Pressing on toward the Goal)
2Tim 4:1-8 (Preaching charge)

* (I took liberty to summarize the verses under different categories to assist in selecting a particular passage. I wanted to have a general guide for my own selection in beginning this practice.)

Everyplace is Holy....God owns it all.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; . . . .

Harmony or Tension

Oftentimes people speak of harmony and having their life in balance. This phrase appears to be too eutopian. This is not reality. On the contrary, life is full of chaos, tension, and turmoil. We find ourselves fighting for more. Fighting for more love, more quality family time, more devotional time, more purity, more justice, and the list goes on and on. Battling against us are the unlimited lists of excuses of I was too busy, or I had things to do on my plan for today, or I will pay attention to junior when I am older, or I woke up late I don't have time for God today or whatever.

The fact of the matter is that we have this hunger and thirst for righteousness, a hunger for more of God’s Spirit, and his voice. As Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness” (NIV, Matt 5:6). We are not in harmony, we are hungry and thirsty for righteousness. We desire to know God more. We desire wholeness and purity. We struggle, strive, and even fight for more than the brokenness that we experience. The Apostle John restates this principle in Revelation, “To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the Spring of the Water of Life” (NIV, Rev 21:6). Thus, God’s Church is thirsty for only what He can provide and no other.

On eight separate occasions in Revelation John dictated in varying forms the phrase, “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life” (NIV, Rev 2:7). This phrase rings in my ear over and over. The truth is that this world offers tension, struggle, and brokenness. Jesus knew this, and He tells us to fight. In this fight, our strength is measured by our hunger to eat of the Tree of Life and to drink of the Spring of the Water of Life. The Tree and the Spring represent wholeness. Our strength is measured by our hunger to be whole. Knowing both sin and righteousness, the soul cries out for more of wholeness.

We are hungry.

We are thirsty.

for more of God.

Let's embrace that.