Lectio Divina (“divine readings”) is the reflective, prayerful reading of Scripture that leads to contemplation. The reader treats the Bible as the real living word of God, not merely an academic text or a history of the early Jews and Christians.
Monks in the sixth century were among the first to take up the practice of Lectio Divina. They were followed by nuns, priests and even some laypeople.
We recommend giving Lectio Divina a try. Here are a few tips for getting started.
Know the 4 steps of Lectio Divina.
1. Read the text.
2. Meditate on the text.
3. Pray with the text.
4. Contemplate the text.
Study in preparation for steps one and two.
You can’t love what you don’t know. And you shouldn’t expect to simply open the pages of Scripture and hear the Lord reveal everything to you. He will speak to you, but He wants you to exercise your mind.