Lectio Divina: Thoughts on Prayer
By Rev. Dr. Nerice Kaufman
Over the last months many of you have spoken with me about the importance of prayer in your lives. Some of you have also mentioned how much you appreciated the particular style called Lectio Divina. This comes out of the Middle Ages and from the Roman Catholic tradition, however, it has been adopted by Protestants and many others who find it helpful and moving. I thought you might enjoy a refresher and if it is new to you, give it a try! It brings together the words of scripture, our own intuition and an opportunity to let the Holy Spirit speak quietly to us. It originally began as a monastic practice, and can be done in a group or on your own. It is a beautiful practice that brings your story and Gods story together.
Here are the steps to follow…
Choose a favorite Scripture or one relevant to your immediate need and read it thoughtfully and with a completely open heart. Breathe in God’s love and breathe out any distractions that may prevent you from fully engaging.
Read the passage, out loud if possible, two or three times. Get a feel for it, note a word or phrase that that draws your attention. There is a message for you in that word or phrase. Read one final time listening with your heart.
Meditate on the passage, seeing what images, thoughts, emptions come to you. Take your time and let God speak to you.
Respond to God in simple prayer, let it be spontaneous and conversational.
Be still and enjoy the feeling of being in God’s loving embrace.
One of the loveliest experiences I have had with this was within the context of a worship service! We chose to reflect on the passage from Revelation 3:20. It reads
“Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in to them and sup with them.”
Of course, each person experienced it very differently, however, it was a wonderful reminder that we are never alone, we simply have to open the door…God is there waiting for us. This way of reading and meditating on scripture enhances our spiritual experience of the word, and allows scripture to comfort us, enliven us, tell us something we need to hear and quiet our mind.
Do give it a try!
Nerice Kaufman served as the interim pastor of First Congregational Church in 2021. She has stayed on as our Visitation and Pastoral Care Minister. She has been a United Church of Christ Minister for more than 40 years and she is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor with specialties in bereavement, and dual diagnosis.
