We’re going to try something a little different this week. As we continue to learn about how we can “Love Where We Live” we are going to take some time to meditate on Scripture and ask God to reveal Himself to us through His Word. I would encourage you to use the practice of Lectio Divina. You might be asking – What in the world is Lectio Divina? Here is a definition that describes it beautifully!
“Lectio Divina is a contemplative way of reading the Bible. It dates back to the early centuries of the Christian Church and was established as a monastic practice by Benedict in the 6th century. It is a way of praying the Scriptures that leads us deeper into God’s word. We slow down. We read a short passage more than once. We chew it over slowly and carefully. We savor it. Scripture begins to speak to us in a new way. It speaks to us personally, and aids that union we have with God through Christ who is himself the Living Word.” (anglicancommunity.org)
Here’s how it works. You will read the Scripture 3 separate times, each time with a different focus. …or more times if you would like. You can try reading it in different versions as well.
First Reading – Listen. As you read the passage, listen for a word or phrase that attracts you. Allow it to arise from the passage as if it is God’s Word for you today. Sit in silence repeating the word or phrase in your head.
Second Reading – Ponder. As you read the passage again ask how this word or phrase speaks to your life and why it has connected with you.
Third Reading – Pray. As you read the passage for the last time, ask what Christ is calling from you. What is it that you need to do or consider or relinquish or take on as a result of what God is saying to you in this word or phrase?
Our prayer is that God speaks directly to your heart this week as you seek to grow in your understanding of how God is calling you to Love Where You Live.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 MSG
Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.
How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
