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Today's Scripture
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
*Isaiah 55.11, NLT
Wisdom Quotes
By praying the scriptures out loud you are speaking God's will for your life into existence. Hearing the Word ... causes your faith to arise. There is power in the spoken Word.
*Carol Ann Knonova. Praying in Victory.
Comments
We pray the Divine heart and mind when we pray the Scripture. Of course, not all Scripture equally represents the Divine. Not all Scripture is to be prayed; indeed, some is not suitable for praying. So, when praying scripture, we select a passage that resonates with what we sense to be true of God. This demands of us intellectual integrity, and such is not just a matter of praying Scripture that makes us feel good or agrees with what makes us comfortable.
What is praying the Scripture? This is not Scripture meditation, wherein you ruminate on a scripture and its meaning. Also, this is not Lectio Divina; here one interacts with Scripture intuitively and to lead to Silent Prayer. This is not Scripture study, wherein we seek knowledge of the Bible. Praying the Scripture is simply speaking forth audibly or inwardly the Bible passage as prayer.
Lastly, praying the Scripture is not simply repeating the words of the Bible. For words to reflect thought creatively, we need them to be filled with meaning and affect. Let your self, your heart and will, your love and desire for the Divine Will, flow forth through the medium of Scripture. Your heart and mind are to be in agreement with the spirit and intent of the scripture you are praying with and through.
Lastly, speaking forth scripture prayerfully is resignation to the will of God. The Bible is not a fetish or magic wand, but a means of resigning yourself to and affirming faith in the wisdom, love, and power of the Divine. This means, however, that you are not passively waiting for God; you are agreeing with God and joining your thought and word with the living Word, the Divine Thought.
Spiritual Exercise
Choose a passage of Scripture that resonates with you. Pray it out loud several times. Surrender your heart and mind for the words of the Bible to become living, inspired Word flowing into and through you.
©Brian Wilcox 01-10-08
Brian will respond to requests pertaining to seeking a Spiritual Mentor. He offers retreats, workshops, and classes in such subjects as Contemplative Prayer (he trains in Visualized Praying, Centering Prayer, Christian Meditation, The Jesus Prayer, ...); Contemplative Living; A Spiritual Understanding of the Lord's Prayer; Philippians and Spiritual Community; Spiritual Growth From Matter to Spirit; Spiritual Use of the Scripture.
See any major on-line bookseller for his book An Ache for Union.
For replies and biographical information, and submission to "The Light Shines" daily devotionals ~ a ministry of Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL, see next page:
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