Lectio Divina

2 Timothy 3:14–17 CEB

14 But you must continue with the things you have learned and found convincing. You know who taught you. 15 Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. 16 Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, 17 so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.

For many, the start of a new year is a time to start new habits. Resolutions will be made to save more money or perhaps to exercise more often. How about taking the opportunity a new year offers to deepen your relationship with Christ? For the next four weeks, we will focus on four spiritual disciplines that will deepen our relationship with God and further our walk with Him. Today we begin a sermon series "Spiritual Habits" and discover how the disciplines of the Spirit practiced in the context of community can grow our experience with Christ.

1. We can support Scripture’s legitimacy with historical data, its effectiveness and wisdom with proof from historical events and our own experiences. But its holiness as God’s breathed-out message for humanity—that belief is by faith and is confirmed by the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. As soon as someone rejects the holiness and the authority, of the Bible, they will soon wander from the true message of the gospel, as history has proven time and again.

Traditionally, Lectio Divina has four separate steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. First a passage of Scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God.

1. We can support Scripture’s legitimacy with historical data, its effectiveness and wisdom with proof from historical events and our own experiences. But its holiness as God’s breathed-out message for humanity—that belief is by faith and is confirmed by the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. As soon as someone rejects the holiness and the authority, of the Bible, they will soon wander from the true message of the gospel, as history has proven time and again.

2. Hold up a compass for everyone to see. Before showing them what the compass says, ask everyone to point to true north without using a tool. Then show them where true north actually is. A ship can start out in the right direction but inevitably gets tossed by the waves and wind, requiring regular checks with the compass in order to get to the final destination. Even with good intentions, we can lose our bearings and need to continually and regularly be reminded of what God’s Word says about him and about us in order to live the life God desires for us.

3. Talk about and demonstrate a simple Bible reading plan for people to use at home.

In Christianity, Lectio Divina (Latin for "Divine Reading") is a traditional Benedictine practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word. It does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the Living Word.

Traditionally, Lectio Divina has four separate steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. First a passage of Scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God.

reading - attentive reading

1 Corinthians 2:9–10 CEB

9 But this is precisely what is written: God has prepared things for those who love him that no eye has seen, or ear has heard, or that haven’t crossed the mind of any human being.10 God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, including the depths of God.

meditate - better word to understand this is “to ponder”

meditate - better word to understand this is “to ponder”

Psalm 46:10 NIV

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

pray - contemplate

Psalm 119:105 CEB

105 Your word is a lamp before my feet and a light for my journey.

4. Harperville - I was a young preacher boy and I had just received news that a church member’s very young grandchild had died from brain cancer.

Struggled with how I could be a pastor

Why did this happen?

Faced my own mortality and what the loss of a family member might mean, Miriam was about the same age.

I was using a guide I have called “A Guide for Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants”

The Psalm reading that day was .

Psalm 139 CEB

For the music leader. Of David. A song. 1 Lord, you have examined me. You know me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up. Even from far away, you comprehend my plans. 3 You study my traveling and resting. You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways. 4 There isn’t a word on my tongue, Lord, that you don’t already know completely. 5 You surround me—front and back. You put your hand on me. 6 That kind of knowledge is too much for me; it’s so high above me that I can’t fathom it. 7 Where could I go to get away from your spirit? Where could I go to escape your presence? 8 If I went up to heaven, you would be there. If I went down to the grave, you would be there too! 9 If I could fly on the wings of dawn, stopping to rest only on the far side of the ocean— 10 even there your hand would guide me; even there your strong hand would hold me tight! 11 If I said, “The darkness will definitely hide me; the light will become night around me,” 12 even then the darkness isn’t too dark for you! Nighttime would shine bright as day because darkness is the same as light to you! 13 You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. 14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful— I know that very well. 15 My bones weren’t hidden from you when I was being put together in a secret place, when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written what was being formed for me, before any one of them had yet happened. 17 God, your plans are incomprehensible to me! Their total number is countless! 18 If I tried to count them— they outnumber grains of sand! If I came to the very end— I’d still be with you. 19 If only, God, you would kill the wicked! If only murderers would get away from me— 20 the people who talk about you, but only for wicked schemes; the people who are your enemies, who use your name as if it were of no significance. 21 Don’t I hate everyone who hates you? Don’t I despise those who attack you? 22 Yes, I hate them— through and through! They’ve become my enemies too. 23 Examine me, God! Look at my heart! Put me to the test! Know my anxious thoughts! 24 Look to see if there is any idolatrous way in me, then lead me on the eternal path!

I remember after praying through that Psalm that God was saying to me very clearly…”It is not for you to know WHY these things happen but know that I am the one that created this child and nothing happened that I wasn’t right there with them. I created them, I loved them, and now they are with me forever.”