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The
Word Given And Received: Praying Scripture |
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Advent
is a time to prepare for the return of the Word made flesh,
Jesus Christ, who comes to us through the Word of God that is
living and active, the Bible. Devotional reading of the Scriptures has always been a wellspring
of both Jewish and Christian spiritual life. While there is
certainly a place for learning information and mastering the
content of texts, in devotional reading we are seeking a deeper
and more authentic relationship with the God in whom we live
and move and have our being. As we open ourselves to the words
of scripture, we provide an opportunity for the Holy Spirit
to pray in us.
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Because
we are not trying to “cover ground” or “get
through” a certain amount of text, it is best to select
a short passage of scripture with which to pray, and to read it
slowly with an attentive and listening heart. As we make ourselves
available for God to speak a word to us personally, we bring to
our listening all of our faculties of “hearing”—mind,
emotion, memory, and imagination; hopes, intuitions, and visions.
The following is a method of reading the Bible prayerfully
that finds its origins in Latin America. In a group, whether
it is a prayer gathering or in opening a meeting, allow individuals
time to respond to each question before moving on. If practicing
this method by yourself, use the questions as a guide for your
prayer. Consider using scripture appropriate to the season,
in this case Advent texts, or follow the daily lectionary as
found in the Mission Yearbook
for Prayer & Study or in the Book of Common
Worship and its Daily Prayer
edition. |
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A
Latin American Lectio Divina
Have a different person read the same text before each of the
following questions is asked, or if necessary, the same person
with five different emphases. Participants should watch the
reader, rather than follow along in their own Bibles.
- What phrase or word got your attention, and what feeling
does it elicit?
- What is true about this reading?
- What bothers you in this reading?
- What will you do in the coming days to make this story
come alive for you? Whatever you do, it should be faithful
to God, purposeful, and helpful.
- What can you, as a group, do? Choose something tangible.
Think about what you can begin, continue, or stop doing.
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Give
Us a Word
Many people find a book to be the perfect gift to give or receive.
Rather than just looking for one of the year’s bestsellers,
consider a classic that will feed heart, mind, and spirit. It
has been a spiritual practice since at least the fourth century
to find a devotional text with which to spend some time, slowly
and carefully reading in order to be formed and not just informed.
Talk with your pastor or a trusted friend who may have some
experience with such works. The following is a list of books
that will profit anyone who takes the time to read them.
Heart Aflame: John Calvin (a yearly devotional)
The Way of a Pilgrim
Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence
of God
The Confessions of Augustine
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together
Howard Thurman’s Inward Journey
Seeds of Hope: A Henri Nouwen Reader
Thomas Merton’s New Seeds of Contemplation
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For a wide variety of other methods of prayer for children
and adults, group study, or individual practice, see the Office
of Spiritual Formation’s latest resource, Lord, Teach
Us to Pray.
To order, call Presbyterian Distribution Service at (800)
524-2612 and ask for item #7044004001.
The cost is $10 plus shipping and handling. |
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