Pray Network Forum

Many of us have a few quiet days after Christmas. This is a good time to rest. You may want to read something you have not had time to read or maybe a new book given you for Christmas. This is also an important time to think and pray.

As Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart, it is well to savor all that God has done for us, for you. As you think of your celebration of Christmas, you may remember things that did not go as you wished or as God desires. Was there a conflict in your family? Pray for the people involved. Pray for God to heal the rift. Do you need to forgive someone? Do you need to ask God's forgiveness? Do you need to struggle with repentance until you can rest in the luxury of His grace.

You may need to look back at the tumultuous year that is coming to a close. It should alarm us, and cause us to pray. Americans need to pray for our country. We need to pray for the world. But even in the midst of the turmoil we need to rest in God. He is sovereign even in the face of immorality, lies, terrorism, war, disruption of homes driving needy people across the world.

And while you are thinking and praying, ask God to show you what you need to be praying for the coming year. What is God calling you, us, to join Him in?

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Up to now I have only written in this blog about my own experiences and disciplines. But I have to admit I don’t think I have ever prayed at all about what I should be reading. I recognize reading voraciously is essential to being a writer. And it is beneficial to my character and the enjoyment of life. A number of books have greatly impacted my thinking and writing. And I have prayed about the content of those that struck my spirit and drew me closer to God. But it has somehow never occurred to me to pray about everything I was reading or about what I would like to read, say this month, this year or before I die.

So, I admit that these ideas are not tested truths. I am beginning to tiptoe into them and I hope to test them out in the coming weeks and months. I would really like to hear what some of you think or how you may have prayed regarding your reading.

I intend to begin each year by spending time praying about what I would like to read in the year. We are two months into 2017, but I intend to try to carve out time to pray about what God wants me to read this year. I also would like to do this at the beginning of the summer and before a trip.

I think I should also pray about the kind of books I want to be reading. I usually read more than one book at once. Don’t be impressed. I am such a slow reader that it takes me forever to get through one. But I try to always be reading a fiction book and a nonfiction. I know a few people who never read one or the other of these. I don’t think that is a good plan, especially for a writer. Both will broaden your perspective.

I also want to pray to learn technique from things I read. I remember hearing Charles Shedd say he had fifty rules by which he measured and edited his writing. I certainly need to see things I should and should not do in my writing. This needs to be a work of God. I need Him to teach me as I read.

I could pose several other principles or elements of praying for my reading. But as I admitted I have never done it at all. And when I know so little about a subject I am in danger of writing on and on. So, I will end here. But I may take up this subject again after I have read some of your comments and after I have tried to do it for a while.

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://daveswatch.com/

We'll continue our study of spiritual disciplines with a study of the disciple of Sacred Reading or as it is also called, Lectio Divina. 

People read for all sorts of different reasons. We read to get information. Students read to learn new material. We read to be entertained. The type of reading that sacred reading emphasizes is really none of these things. It's for an entirely different purpose, one that is explained in this quote by Thomas `a Kempis. "Do not read to satisfy curiosity or to pass the time, but study such things as move your heart to devotion."

Now I don't think there's anything wrong with the other types of reading; they all have their place, but the purpose of sacred reading is to draw our hearts to our Lord. The idea is to come to this reading of a passage of scripture with no other agenda but than to hear what God wants to say to you. This is known as a meditative or devotional reading of the Bible that St. Benedict popularized as part of the Benedictine monks daily routine. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is living and powerful, so we can assume that through His word God can shape us, mold us and change our lives. That's what we hope to see through Lectio Divina.

Choosing a Scripture

When undertaking this type of devotional reading, you want to choose a fairly short ( 4 to 8 verses) portion of scripture. The Psalms are a wonderful place to start, as are any of the Gospels and Ecclesiastes. To begin, you'll want your BIble and a notebook to record your thoughts in. You'll need to find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed so that you can concentrate. Begin by quieting yourself and praying that God will bless this time with Him and that you will hear what He wants to say to you.

Four Steps of Lectio Divina

1. Read (lectio). Read your portion of scripture listening for the word or phrase that seems to jump out to us. You can write this in your journal if you'd like.
2. Reflect (meditate). Read the same portion of scripture again and reflect on why we are touched by this word or phrase. Ask yourself, "What is going on in my life that caused those words to jump out to  me?" or "Where do I see myself in this passage?" You may also record this in your journal if you'd like to.
3. Respond (oratio). Read the passage a third time. Ask yourself "How does God want me to respond to this?" You may pray something back to God. You may be convicted of a sin. You may be called to do something. Again you can journal your response if you'd like to.
4. Rest (contemplate). Read the passage the final time and then just rest in what you have learned and in God's presence. Resolve to carry this word with you throughout your day.

This is a simple but powerful way for God to change us and mold us into the people He wants us to be. 

Feel free to share if you've ever tried this spiritual discipline or if you plan on it.

Pray on!

(This post is taken from my site at http://www.onlybyprayer.com.)