A Biblical Model

Excerpts from Study & Meditation by Jan Johnson

One classic method of entering into a Scripture text is called lectio divina, which is Latin for "divine reading." It includes reading a Scripture passage aloud, meditating on it, praying about it and contemplating God in it. As the Bible passage is read, we wait for a word to resonate or "shimmer." Then we meditate on that word or phrase to hear what God might have to say to us. After praying about what this means, we rest in quiet contemplation before God.

The key lectio is to be open to hear God afresh in Scripture. That means setting aside previous ideas of how this passage applies to us. With unfamiliar passages, it may help to do a short preliminary study to understand historical background and individual words so we can open ourselves to hear anew from God. If we are truly open, God usually communicates surprising things we could never have made up ourselves.

Read and reflect upon Luke 1:46-55 and 1 Samuel 2:1-10

"It is necessary to immerse ourselves in [the Bible], to let it permeate our flesh, to grow so familiar with it that we possess it in the depths of our being and hold it in our memory. A good example is the Magnificat, the Song of Mary. It flows with biblical imagery, clearly the fruit of a heart that knew the Bible." - Enzo Bianchi

"The Great Inversion [means that] there are none in the humanly 'down' position so low that they cannot be lifted up by entering God's order, and none in the humanly 'up' position so high that they can disregard God's point of view on their lives. The barren, the widow, the orphan, the eunuch, the alien, all models of human hopelessness, are fruitful and secure in God's care." - Dallas Willard

"We come to the [Bible] text with an openness to hear, to receive, to respond, to be a servant of the Word rather than a master of the text." - Robert Mulholland

And if you have the time, sing a song you know by heart. Sing it several times, and let the words of the song deepen within you.