Lectio Divina – a holy reading of the Bible slowly, savoring it, and enjoying it with the Lord – is the spiritual practice of sacred reading of the scriptures. The intention is not to learn or gain information but to deepen our relationship with God. St Benedict encourages us to “to listen with the ear of our hearts.”
Join me once a week for Lectio Divina. I will share a verse and a word that spoke to my heart. Read and listen to the verses here. And gently ask God for a word or phrase that speaks to your heart for that day – that is what lectio means. Once we find that gift, we hold it, meditate, and savor its meaning. This step is called meditation.
Then offer that word back to God in prayer or the third step of oratio. In prayer we allow our real selves to be touched and changed by the word of God.
Finally, we simply rest in the presence of the One who has used His word as a means of inviting us to accept His transforming embrace. No one who has ever been in love needs to be reminded that there are moments in loving relationships when words are unnecessary.Come into the presence of the Lord.
But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.
Isaiah 43:1-4 (The Message)
You’re mine.
I had to read that sentence twice. You’re mine!
Lord you sound like You mean what You are saying. I am sorry to doubt You, but after all You are the Lord, the King of the Universe, the Alpha and Omega and all those glorious titles angels sing about and a concept man barely grasps.
You say I belong to You?
Me?
Even when I neglect You? ignore You? Think just maybe I may be in control? You still want me? Love me?
Lord, You overwhelm me.
I read these verses and to be honest, deep inside, I wonder what you see in us.
You’re mine
I am not just some nameless object You created and check in on from time to time.
You don’t neglect me.
You don’t ignore me.
You know my name.
You stay with me.
You want a personal, moment by moment relationship with me.
I don’t understand You at all, Lord. But thank You for knowing me, for naming me, for claiming me as Your own.
Me again. Just to let you know that I posted the first of a series on my retreat and I linked to this post of your’s. Thanks for your prayers!
We’ll never understand the mysteries of God, but how comforting it is to embrace His love.
Jeanie, that is amazing. I also like that “it won’t be a dead end.” Comforting words.
I prayed for you this weekend, Colleen, when I read on your blog you were on retreat. So glad God touched your heart.
Jean, this is beautiful and really spoke to me. On retreat this weekend, the first conference, Father asked us if we knew WHOSE we were? It has stuck with me ever since.