Praying with Lectio Divina

Summer Peoples
Mar 9, 2019
3 min read

One of my goals for 2019 is to read the bible more. To help accomplish this, I've been attending weekly discipleship meetings with my campus ministry & religious education director, Savannah. On Thursday, she introduced me to the idea of praying through Lectio Divina, which is Latin for "Divine Reading." I love it so much that I thought I'd share it with everyone here, along with some daily readings you can try it with! (All credit to Savannah...you are amazing!)

Make sure you have a bible and something to write on. If you haven't gotten yourself a prayer journal yet, I highly recommend doing so! Let's dive in. There are 5 Steps to praying Lectio Divina:

Step 1: Read.

Read the passage and get acquainted with what it is saying. Read it two or three times if you need to.

Tip: You can choose to read a little before and after the chosen passage to understand the context.

Tip: Shorter passages are typically better for praying Lectio Divina.

Step 2: Meditate.

Stop and think: What is the passage saying to me? Apply it to something that is going on in your life right now.

Tip: Write it down! Identify particular words or verses that stick out to you and focus on those. Then, write those down too.

Step 3: Pray.

Form your thoughts from step 2 into a prayer and write it down. Meditating on what is going on in your life and then forming these thoughts into words for God can help you to better understand what is going on and better hear the voice of God through the passage. This can take many forms like thanking God, apologizing for a sin or weakness, asking a question, expressing doubt or struggles, or surrendering to His will.

Tip: Be as honest as you can, especially if something is hurting you, you're confused, or mad at God. It's good to express these things to Him...as Savannah says, "He's pretty big, so he can handle it!"

Step 4: Contemplation.

This step is a pure gift of grace and you have no control over what happens during this time. Simply rest in the presence of the Lord, and open your heart to receive whatever He wants to offer you. This may be a word, a feeling of comfort, an image of someone to reach out to or forgive, or seemingly nothing. Just allow yourself a few minutes to rest with God and see what He does. This gift of grace may become apparent at this time, or even days later.

Step 5: Action.

Ask yourself, "What concrete action can I do based on what I prayed about?" This can be big or small.

After praying Lectio Divina even only a few times, I am in love with it! Not only is it a practical, organized way to talk to God, but it allows me to look back at my journal and see how God is working in my life through prayer. If you think this form of prayer is something you'd be interested in, here is the "study" I am currently working through. Each day I read a passage and follow Lectio Divina for that passage. This particular "study" focuses on the path of Jesus' life, through the Gospel of Luke. I hope you guys find this beneficial & fall in love with Lectio Divina like I have! ♡

Lectio Divina with the Gospel of Luke

Part 1 - Jesus' Early Life

Luke 1:26-35

Luke 1:36-45

Luke 1:46-56

Luke 2:1-20

Luke 3:15-23

Luke 4:1-15

Luke 5:1-11

Part 2 - Jesus' Ministry

Luke 6:12-26

Luke 6:27-38