Using the Bible in prayer or devotion has a long Christian history.  Though prayer and Bible study support one another, in praying the Bible we seek to let God speak to us through the scripture in a mystical way.  When we pray the Bible, we let the Bible work on us.  In ways that we cannot explain God is revealed simply in the act of Biblical prayer.  

There are a few discplines of Biblical prayer.  For example, there are Lectio Divina, Centering Prayer, Daily Bible reading, and Morning and evening Prayer (or the Daily Office), to name just a few.  

Daily Bible Reading

In the pane to the right are the Sunday readings for the coming Sunday and a set of readings for the day. 

• Generally, one of the passages in the Sunday readings will be the text for the sermon. 
• The daily readings comprise a morning and evening Psalm and usually three other readings.  One way to use them is to read the Psalms in the morning and evening and read the other selections at either, as best fits your time.

In the pane to the left is a "verse of the day."  It takes only a bit of time but gives you something on which to focus each day.

The Daily Office extends the practice of daily scripture readings to include other prayers, hymns and canticles.  The Daily Office presented here consists of Morning and Evening Prayers.  They offer a beautiful way to begin and end each day.

To pray the Daily Office of the Episcopal Prayer Book click here

This way of practicing Lectio Divina developed in the Middle Ages at the beginning of the Scholastic Period.  The scholastic form divides the process into stages or steps. The scholastic method is a good way to learn Lectio Divina
whether privately or in a group.

Guidelines:

• Step One: Read the passage.  Listen with the "ear of their heart." What phrase, sentence or even one word stands out to you?
• Step Two: Read the passage again and Reflect on the word of God. Be aware of what touches you, a thought or reflection that is meaningful. Allow a minute or two of silence.
• Step Three: Read the passage again and Respond spontaneously to the word of God.  Be aware of any prayer that rises up within that expresses the experience.  Allow a minute or two of silence.
• Step Four: Read the passage a final time and Rest in the word, reflect or pray and allow God to speak in the silence.  Allow three or four minutes of silence.
• To Extend the Practice: After the resting, take the phrase, sentence, or word into your daily activity and listen to it, reflect on it, pray over it, and rest in it as time allows.

Centering prayer is a more modern form of Christian contemplative prayer that Thomas Keating is credited with developing.  Contemplative Prayer is similar to Eastern silent mediation practices.  In this case, it uses a sacred word akin to a mantra.

• Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.
• Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.
• Meditate on the word for 20 to 30 minutes.  When other thoughts come up, return ever-so gently to the sacred word.
• At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

* For more infrmation on Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer click here