The practice of spiritual reading of scripture draws us into a richer and deeper life in Jesus Christ.  Discover a few of the methods of spiritual reading that invite us to prioritize being over doing, and open ourselves to God's presence and purposes in our life.

In today's episode we explore the imaginative technique:

As you read a portion of scripture, imagine yourself to be a part of the scene, a participant in the story.  Imagine the things you would be seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling.  You are using all of your senses and allowing your imagination to recreate the setting of the scripture passage.  This includes things like colors, the appearance of other people (including the expressions on their faces), their movements, the sounds of nature, birds, the smell of flowers, the sea, the earth, the feeling of the wind blowing around you, the heat of the desert etc.  Once you have recreated the scene in your imagination and placed yourself in the scene, begin to examine your thoughts and feelings about the situation.  You may experience harmony or dissonance, which can become a focus for your prayerful openness to God and your meditation on what the Word is saying to you in this experience.

What do you identify with most comfortably in the scene?

Meditate on why you make this identification.

What would you avoid in the scene?

Meditate on what the Word is saying to you through your avoidance.

What do your negative and / or positive feelings about the scene reveal to you about your inner being and your outer relationships and your patterns of reaction and response to life?

Optional readings for the week:

Psalm 15

Deuteronomy 24:17-25:4

John 13:31-35

Micah 6:1-8

1 Corinthians 1:18-31