Lectio How-To
“Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” (Ps. 100:3)
Read this… and more. As you read it gently to yourself, ask what releases in your spirit? Or does sorrow enter, since you feel far away? Nothing is wrong; be aware of your feelings and thoughts and just give them to God.
Then, pray the Scripture back to Him, something like this: “Oh Lord, I know you are God! You are my God, and I praise You. You made me and everything, and we are Yours. I’m Your sheep, good Shepherd.”
Then, sit with the image of the verse. Don’t try to run it like, “Ooh, I know–I’m in a flock, and then some wolves come, and the Shepherd whacks them, that’s what I’d do!”
Well sure, that’s what a movie script would do.
That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about imaging / visioning prayer, where you start with an image and then relax into it, letting the Holy Spirit Himself guide the narrative. What you see, hear, smell, touch, or taste is by His will and guidance.
Congratulations: you’ve just done the 4 stages of an early Christian prayer practice of Lectio Divina: 1) Read, 2) Meditate, 3) Pray, and 4) Contemplate.