LEAP T FLAME... BY ANNETTE OSBORNE | Children and Families Consultant, SUNZ
‘We read under the eye of God until the heart is touched and leaps to flame.’ —Dom Columba Marmion
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hese words provide a beautiful picture of what reading the Bible can be. We read in the presence of God. We read until God’s words burst to life, like a bonfire on a cold winter’s night. What an exciting approach to the Bible! Lectio Divina is an ancient way of reading the Bible that involves reading the words slowly and thoughtfully, working through four steps: lectio (reading), meditatio (meditation), oratio (prayer) and contemplatio (contemplation). Here’s what happened when we used this approach on one of our children’s camps. It was early morning as the campers gathered in the hall, dressed in PJ’s and with their Bibles, and pens and paper.
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READ: I began by reading slowly from Philippians 1, pausing, and then reading it again. I asked the campers to listen carefully and pay attention to any words that jumped out.
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REFLECT: Next I asked them to reflect on what they had just heard. What words, pictures, or ideas were in their mind? Were there words that seemed special or important? How did these words make them feel? ‘Do you think God might be saying something to you?’ I gave them time to write or draw these things on their piece of paper.
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RESPOND: I invited the campers to sit in silence for a few moments. During this
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WHEN WE READ SLOWLY AND TAKE TIME TO LISTEN, FIRES START BREAKING OUT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
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silence they could talk with God. I encouraged them to ask God a question, to thank God for something or simply to talk with God about how this passage made them feel. They could also choose to sit and think, or to write their response down in their journal.
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REST: The last step was to invite God to talk with us. I gave them the chance to sit in silence and listen. They might hear God speak, or they might have a picture in their mind, a line from a song, or a feeling. I assured them that if nothing happened, that was okay too. Just rest and listen.
After the campers had returned to their cabins to prepare for the day, a young leader came to tell me the experience of one camper: During our Bible reading, words from Philippians 1 had jumped off the page and burst into flame! God spoke clearly, touching this young girl’s heart in a powerful way. She was convinced to the core of her being that God loves her. How amazing is that! When we read slowly and take time to listen, fires start breaking out all over the place. This article originally appeared on the SUNZ blog at www.childrenandfamiliesnz.blogspot.com .
