Lectio divina is a helpful practice for Christian writers – and for anyone who wants to grow in relationship with God.
The term lectio divina means “divine reading.” This is where you engage the Bible spiritually – not with your mind, but with your spirit. While there is a time and place to engage your heart and mind in Bible study, the practice of lectio divina focuses on the spirit. It is an amazing combination of scripture, prayer, and presence. So quiet your mind before you begin.
With lectio divina, you are engaging with God through His Word – spirit to Spirit. This is not the time to take notes about your next book or blog post. Resist stopping to write things down. Just enjoy the spiritual engagement with God. As you receive revelation, just stay present in the moment with God. Trust Him to bring those things back to you later, so you can write about them.
While no spiritual practice is meant to be formulaic, lectio divina has four steps as practiced by the monks for centuries. Let the Holy Spirit lead you through this process. It’s more important to be present with Him than to follow a specific practice. However, these steps will get you started.
(1) Read
You can begin lectio divina by reading a scripture passage God has led you to read. Read through the passage slowly, several times. It helps to read it out loud, where possible, so you engage more of your senses. Try for at least three times, as the repetition helps move the passage deeper into your spirit. Allow the Word to wash through you and settle deep within you.
(2) Meditate
Now read through the passage one more time. Listen for a part of the scripture that really stands out for you. It may be a verse, a paragraph, a word, or several words. Take time to meditate on that specific part. Savor it like a favorite meal. Through this process, the Holy Spirit is filling you with His Word and forming His Word in you.
When we meditate on scripture, as Christians, we aren’t meditating like other religious or secular practices. We are not emptying our minds; that is the worst thing we could do because the enemy will fill that empty space. Instead, we are bringing our thoughts captive to Christ. We are letting Him fill our minds with His presence. We are meditating on Him and on His truth in the scripture passage at hand.
(3) Pray
After some time of meditating on a portion of scripture, let the Word create a prayer in your spirit. Pray that prayer out loud. For example, if you have been meditating on Psalm 23:1, you may begin to pray, “Lord, thank You that You are my Shepherd. Thank You for reminding me that with You, I lack nothing. You are everything I need.” Let the Holy Spirit move you in prayer over the scripture you have just meditated on. Don’t make your prayer a formula. Let your prayer flow from the Holy Spirit to your spirit.
(4) Contemplate
The last step of lectio divina is contemplation. This is a time for you to sit quietly in God’s presence. Let Him move the truth of His Word through every part of your being. Don’t try to think or write. Just be. Let God do all the work. You might feel His presence and you might not. You might receive revelation or not. Just be with God. He knows how to bring the scripture passage into every part of you. This is part of God forming you in the image of Christ. Just be, and let Him do the rest.
That is the full practice of lectio divina. It is a great way to make scripture a deeper part of your life. And it is a wonderful way to grow in your relationship with God.
Adventures with God 