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	Praying with the Bible
	The Bible has been a source for prayer throughout the history of Christianity. Simply sitting down and taking the time to read it prayerfully is a way of growing in our knowledge of God. It is a rich source of teaching, guidance and comfort. However just to say "Read this" would leave many lost, where to start or how much at a time are key questions for the beginner. One way is take take the small reading for each day, following the pattern used in the Church. This means that we are not overloaded or overwhelmed with too much at one time. Another approach is to work through one book at a time, but I would not advise starting with Leviticus as this is harder going! Perhaps taking the Gospels and the New Testament first would be much easier for a beginner. How to pray with it is another question. Some people like to picture a scene and think of all the different people, asking who they identify with and what they feel. Others like to think which words are speaking to them and what they should learn from this. Teachers are used to the idea that students have different ways of learning and have to adapt their lessons accordingly, the same should be true of our prayer. If we work better with visual images then this is how we should work, if better with ideas and words, then the same applies. Below are some of the better known way of praying and meditating on the Bible, test and see what helps you the most. Imaging Read slowly through a passage, then in silence picture the scene, the people, the scene and all the details. Try to build a full picture of the scene including the mood and feel. Where do you fit in in and who do you identify with in the story, it may be that you identify with the Apostles, or someone in the crowd, or as one the other people. Think what this says about yourself and what the Lord may be telling you through the passage of the Bible. It may be that it speaks about a weakness that you have, or a relationship that needs healing. The aim is too listen to what the Lord is teaching me through this passage today in my situation. After this spend some time in silence, asking the Lord for the for the strength to carry out the resolution than comes from the prayer. Some people conclude by making a prayer in their own words to carry out what they have learned through their prayer. Lectio Divina This a form of prayer which comes from the Monastic tradition. If you take any passage of scripture and read it through slowly. Read it through a second time and then think what words or phrases speak to you, they may simply one word or a few words. They could come from a concern you have or apparently from out of the blue, it will surprise you sometimes! From this then take some time in silence, think about what the word or phrase means to you. What is it trying to tell you? Turn in prayer to reflect on it and see what it means and what you should do about it. This technique can be used for groups as well as on your own. Mantra Some people take a phrase or word from a passage, it could be taken from using the first part of Lectio Divina way of reflecting. Then simple take this phrase, repeat is over and over in your mind, some people link to their breath in and out, and let the phrase go deeper into our being. This is way that is not about thinking but about letting go and letting the phrase and God lead you where he will.
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Praying with the Bible

The Bible has been a source for prayer throughout the history of Christianity. Simply sitting down and taking the time to read it prayerfully is a way of growing in our knowledge of God. It is a rich source of teaching, guidance and comfort. However just to say "Read this" would leave many lost, where to start or how much at a time are key questions for the beginner.

One way is take take the small reading for each day, following the pattern used in the Church. This means that we are not overloaded or overwhelmed with too much at one time. Another approach is to work through one book at a time, but I would not advise starting with Leviticus as this is harder going! Perhaps taking the Gospels and the New Testament first would be much easier for a beginner.

How to pray with it is another question. Some people like to picture a scene and think of all the different people, asking who they identify with and what they feel. Others like to think which words are speaking to them and what they should learn from this. Teachers are used to the idea that students have different ways of learning and have to adapt their lessons accordingly, the same should be true of our prayer. If we work better with visual images then this is how we should work, if better with ideas and words, then the same applies.

Below are some of the better known way of praying and meditating on the Bible, test and see what helps you the most.

Imaging

Read slowly through a passage, then in silence picture the scene, the people, the scene and all the details. Try to build a full picture of the scene including the mood and feel. Where do you fit in in and who do you identify with in the story, it may be that you identify with the Apostles, or someone in the crowd, or as one the other people.

Think what this says about yourself and what the Lord may be telling you through the passage of the Bible. It may be that it speaks about a weakness that you have, or a relationship that needs healing. The aim is too listen to what the Lord is teaching me through this passage today in my situation.

After this spend some time in silence, asking the Lord for the for the strength to carry out the resolution than comes from the prayer. Some people conclude by making a prayer in their own words to carry out what they have learned through their prayer.

Lectio Divina

This a form of prayer which comes from the Monastic tradition. If you take any passage of scripture and read it through slowly. Read it through a second time and then think what words or phrases speak to you, they may simply one word or a few words. They could come from a concern you have or apparently from out of the blue, it will surprise you sometimes!

From this then take some time in silence, think about what the word or phrase means to you. What is it trying to tell you? Turn in prayer to reflect on it and see what it means and what you should do about it.

This technique can be used for groups as well as on your own.

Mantra

Some people take a phrase or word from a passage, it could be taken from using the first part of Lectio Divina way of reflecting. Then simple take this phrase, repeat is over and over in your mind, some people link to their breath in and out, and let the phrase go deeper into our being. This is way that is not about thinking but about letting go and letting the phrase and God lead you where he will.

e-mail the webmaster