PERCEPTION IN PRAYER: LEARNING TO LISTEN

• Lectio Divina (literally ‘Holy Reading’) is an ancient way of reading the Bible devotionally, in order to hear God’s voice. You might take a single verse and think it through slowly, one word at a time, until its different layers of meaning really emerge. Then pray about what you ‘see’ and ‘hear’
• How to Do it:

» In the coming week, try to read a Psalm every day. If you do this thoughtfully, one of the verses or phrases in the passage will probably jump out at you » Take that verse and pray through each word or phrase, allowing the emphasis to fall in different ways, so that multiple layers of meaning emerge to fuel your prayers. For example, if you were praying through Psalm 23:1 ‘The Lord is my shepherd ...’

» You might first reflect on the fact that Jesus is your ‘Lord’ and spend time in worship and confession » You might then think about the fact that he really ‘is’ my shepherd, even though you sometimes feel like he isn’t » Next you could think about him being ‘my’ shepherd - not just there for other but for me ... etc

• Lectio Divina may sound difficult but it’s really simple and flexible. Some people practice it at the gym on a rowing machine where each stroke is another word. Others might journal about a particular verse each day, or take a walk whilst thinking about the words
• Praying in Tongues: The apostle Paul says that ‘Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves.’ (1 Corinthians 14:4). Praying in tongues can be a wonderful way of increasing our receptivity to God’s Spirit