Psalms for Today ~ Lectio

 

Read Psalms 112-114

 

Step one: read the three Psalms for today slowly, savoring the syllables and noticing the meaning you are making of the sentence.  You are encouraged to write these down.

 

Step two: take a breath to sit with the word or words from the Psalms that you wrote down or circled. 

 

Step three: take a breath and pray your curiosity or frustration that was evoked from step two.

 

Step four: breathe and rest in God who is our refuge.

 

Step five: embody/enact/intention ~ commit to one action or way inspired by the Psalm today.

 

Let me walk through this prayer practice of reading with Psalm 113

 

Step One: I connect with the word “Praise” of God.  How do I live this, share this, and let this way of being inspire me today?  I love the line in this Psalm, “From the rising of the sun to its setting,” that the invitation to praise is not just something to move from my “to-do list” to my “to-done list” ~ Praise is a thread and theme of life every moment.  I circled the phrase, “God raises the poor from the dust” (vs. 7), because it is a connection to the truth that I am connected to the earth—soil and dirt— and every day God awakens and raises me from that place.

 

Step two: As I sit with the words above, I realize this morning is a blessing because there is breath in my lungs, blood moving through my veins, thoughts in my head, emotions in my heart, and relationships that strengthen me.  There is so much gratitude to guide my attitude that the daily news cannot take away. 

 

Step three: A prayer to God: “Holy, holy, holy One, You awaken me this morning with grace to guide and feed me with a steadfast diet of love.  Help me feast not only on the broken, but equally true and beautiful goodness of Your presence.  As each hour passes, may I pause to find one moment of grace where You meet me (maybe with calmness or holy disruption or laughter).  May I look at the earthworm, millions of microscopic atoms in the soil, bugs creeping, and the trees swaying as part of the mystery of praise.  And when the powerful people post in all CAPS to social, open me to deeper truths than bullying and belittling people.  God of love, let Your love have the first, middle, and last word each second in me and through me.  Amen.”

 

Step four: I listen for how God might help that prayer be woven into the day ahead, letting God guide me.

 

Step five: I commit to praising God with one moment of grace I noticed each hour today.  Amen.