Area Three: Prayer or “Oratio”
PART THREE, PRAYER: As with previous days, you will re-immerse in your experience from the past day’s meditation. Ordinarily this would all occur in one setting but go with it. After slowing down in silence or breath praying, review the reading from Matthew 6:19-21:
Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Check in with your reflection word(s) and additional reflections from the meditation time yesterday. Again, if you are just starting this week, go back to Monday for this to make sense.
Section three of Lectio Divina is the latin word “oratio,” meaning prayer. In this section, a prayer is built from the phrase or word that has captured your attention; dialogue with God about it. You may begin with your personal hopes, desires, needs, pains. Then let the prayer expand to increasingly larger circles of people and life. You might consider sketching or painting as an outlet for these prayers as well – a nonverbal, creative response.
Enter your dialog with God over personal hopes,
desires, needs, and pains into your computer, laptop,
notebook or journal. Don't forget that sketching
and painting are also non-verbal responses.
Enter your notes about other people/situations on your mind,
heart, soul and about this devotion into
your computer, laptop, notebook or journal.
Micro-Meditation Scripture
Psalm 32:3-4
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Micro-Meditation
Teaching or Command of God
Psalm 38:3b-4
There is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.
Proverbs 28:13
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Pondering Point
Have you learned that keeping sins secret heightens their power over you? Have you learned that confessing your sins – to God and fellow disciples – often breaks the stronghold of such sins plaguing your life?