Lectio divina is a very useful and practical discipline for spiritual growth. Rooted in ancient monasticism,
practice is a fourfold cycle: Reading, Meditation, Prayer, and Contemplation. In fact, term itself means “sacred reading.”Reading. Lectio divina begins with a “text,” whether that is Bible, a spiritual classic, something in nature, or even another person. You must “take up and read.” But reading is not done to acquire knowledge or information, to master text. Reading is done slowly, focusing on words and connections. In lectio divina, we are seeking to let text master us.
I read through Bible, a practice known as lectio continua, during my devotional times. I used to read for information, and to get through a certain amount (say, four chapters every day), but now I read slowly, taking at most a chapter each day. As I read, I listen for how Word of God is addressing me.
Meditation. Meditation is focused thought. In lectio divina, we are neither letting our mind run wild with thoughts nor letting it empty of all thoughts. Instead, we concentrate our focus on words of text, thinking about each one. Let each word resonate within you.
Think of meditation phase as though it were tea steeping. You are hot water, and tea bag is Bible. As tea bag steeps (reading), flavor is diffused throughout hot water. This is meditation. It is slow, simmering period where we digest text and gain insight.
Prayer. The prayer phase takes fruit of our meditation and offers it back to God. Perhaps a text led us to joy because of gifts of God, or maybe a passage exposed sin in our lives and need for repentance. Prayer is when we offer these insights back to God.
