Scripture

Daily Reading

Pastor Bruce has given our church this method of daily reading to use as we interact with Scripture. The R.E.A.P. method is not a handbook on how to read Scripture but rather a tool that you can use as you interact with the text.

Read -Take time to read the passage and mark verses or sections that stand out.

Examine -Based on your reading, identify the big idea of the passage and how it points ahead to Jesus.

Apply -Identify how you can respond to what you just read.

Pray -Pray God's word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the passage into practice in your life and relationships.

Meditation

Throughout the library of Scripture, we read instances where meditation is encouraged for the readers. We see this in Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1, 63, 77, 119, 143, 145, Philippians 4:4-9, Colossians 3:1-3, Romans 8:5-7, Hebrews 3:1, and Hebrews 12:2.

Unlike modern meditation and some takes on Eastern meditation, which emphasizes emptying one's mind, God desires us to meditate on what He has done and said. So, instead of emptying our minds of thoughts, we actually fill our minds with his thoughts, what he has done in our lives, and what he has said in Scripture.

Meditation should be a daily rhythm for all followers of Jesus as we seek to live our lives in alignment with the Father. As we meditate on Him, we get to know Him in a more intimate way.

How we meditate:

- Get in a quiet space. While it feels like there are impossible seasons to find a place that is quiet, away from kids, work, or school, there is always some point in your day that you have. You just have to be intentional in finding it.

For some, mornings are the best time to be able to find this quiet time; for others, it may be at night; for some, it may be in the car before you go to work. The point is that there are spaces where we all have to meditate on the goodness of God.

- Remove distractions. We live in a time where anything can be used as a distraction to sit in the quiet. We have other people around us, TVs, a messy house, and our phones. To put it simply, we are always distracted.

Distractions are dangerous, however, as we are following Jesus as His apprentices. We cannot be with Jesus, become like Him, or do what He did if we are distracted. So before you prepare yourself for meditation, turn off your phone, and just sit in silence for a few minutes. Let your mind wonder wherever it needs to so you can fill your mind with God's ways as you meditate.

- Sit and meditate. After a few minutes of allowing your mind to wander, pick a Psalm to read and begin your mind to reflect on the character of God. Some of our favorites are Psalms 1, 8, 11, 18, 19, 23, 46, 63, 67, 104, 119, 139.

Remember, the act of meditation is to fill your mind with the things that God has done and said. This is a time to fill your mind with awe and love for our Father.

Close with a prayer of gratitude. When you finish, thank God for what he has done and said.

There is no exact timeframe for this, but you should allow enough time to complete all four steps. For some, it may be five minutes, and for others, it may be an hour.

Begin where you are, not where you strive to be. If you can only take five minutes, that is okay! Make this a sustainable part of your life so that you can make it a daily rhythm that is natural in the flow of your life.

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina, translated from Latin to English, means “Divine Reading.” Simply put, it is a kind of reading of Scripture that emphasizes the experience between the reader and the text. The focus is less on the analysis or even study of the passage and more on communing with the Spirit in prayer as He speaks throughout this time.

So often, we approach Scripture intending to get a good verse for the day, or as we read, we think, “Oh, this would be good for ______.” But in reality, we can’t understand the thoughts of God without the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-16). The psalmist reminds us to be still and know that God is God and we are not, but how often do we intentionally slow down and reflect on the writings of God? Lectio Divina helps us intentionally slow down and take time to commune with our Father.

One pastor wrote: "The authorial character of the Holy Scriptures was established as personal in the persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because it was personal, it was also relational, which meant that all reading/listening of the Holy Scripture required personal, relational, and participatory reading/listening. Christian reading is participatory reading."

In essence, we are participating with God in a relationship as we read the scriptures. Lectio Divina gives four unique practices that push the reader toward a deeper relationship with Scripture.

Read

Select a passage from Scripture Read the Scripture aloud once through without stopping. Go slow, don’t rush through this. Don’t think about how to apply it or how it could apply to someone else. Just take it in. Focus on listening as if God were speaking directly to you. Take time to listen to the Spirit.

Reflect

Reread the passage again. Pause at words or phrases that stick out to you and allow them to sink deeply into your soul and mind. Begin to ask questions about the passage. Without trying to over-spiritualize the meaning, ponder what God seems to be saying to you through these words.>

Respond

Pray through the passage. As you see things that are a command, pray that you will do as Scripture prompts you to do. Honestly and truthfully, talk with God about what he seems to be saying to you through this passage. Now is the time to respond to God. What action or attitude is God calling you to embrace? How have you chosen your way over the way of Jesus in a specific area? Has the Spirit convicted you of anything in this time of reading?

Rest

Sit in silence and be with God. It could be 5 minutes or 50 minutes. The time is not important, but the intentionality of setting aside the time is important. Take intentional time to rest. No agenda, just relationship Let God enjoy your presence as you enjoy His As you give God's Spirit time to work in your life, yield to him. In light of what he has spoken, entrust your past, present, and future to the Lord.

As you close your time with God, ask God to continue to do his transforming work throughout the day as you continue to listen. That is the key part: “as you continue to listen,” your time with God does not end when you say amen. Rather, it is really just the beginning. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” All of our life is worship to God, when we eat, drink, converse with our coworkers, and even sleep. All of it is worship. As you go throughout your day, allow the Spirit to continue the work that you allowed Him to do earlier in that day.