Advent 2023—Lectio Divina part 9

This Advent I am going to look at the practice of Lectio Divina, mostly because it is my favourite form of prayer and meditation. Lectio Divina means “Divine Reading” in Latin. It is a systematic way of reading the Bible dating back to the early centuries of the Christian church.

Lectio Divina has four parts:

1. Reading: Read the passage slowly and carefully.
2. Meditation: Think deeply about the text.
3. Prayer: Have a loving conversation with God.
4. Contemplation: Rest in God’s presence.

Time for the summing up.

Lectio Divina does not replace Bible study.

Most importantly, Lectio Divina isn’t a substitute for studying the Bible. I mean, I’ve never met anyone who says, “Hey, forget Bible study, just do Lectio Divina!” No. If you got to choose, go for Bible study. It’s important to understand God’s word in the context of its writing style. Is it history, poetry, prophecy, or what? How would the folks back in the day have interpreted it? Let’s keep it real!

Check what you have got

Next up, check out what you’ve got. Don’t worry, this is not about lacking faith. The Holy Spirit really nailed it when she said, “Don’t believe every spirit. Test ’em out to see if they’re from God, ’cause there are tons of false prophets out there.*” So when you think you’ve heard something from God, He totally expects you to double-check it. Solid advice, if you ask me!

Do it

Don’t just sit around meditating and then go on with your business. If the Holy Spirit has told you to do something, then go ahead and do it after you’ve checked it out!

Don’t be too formal.

Lectio Divina is not a formal exercise. You don’t have to follow some strict rules or anything. I’ve written these few posts in a more laid-back style because informal writing can be pretty tough. Just imagine you’re having a chat with a good friend, someone you can totally trust. So, don’t stress about it too much and let the words flow.

I hope you found this series helpful.

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*1 John 4:1 paraphrased.