Practice of Scripture Meditation and Memorization | November 12-18, 2023

Lesson: The Practice of Scripture Meditation and Memorization

Conversation Starter:

      What comes to mind when you hear the word meditation?

What feelings arise when you think scripture memorization?    

Previous Week Review

Share experiences from last week’s practice. Don’t skip this step even if people are reluctant to respond. If people did not try the practice, talk about the obstacles.

Group Readings and Discussion

Read the following scriptures together. Pause after each passage to discuss for 2-3 minutes to discover what it teaches us as followers of Jesus. Do your best to allow different people to share the readings and discussion.

Psalm 1:1-3

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Colossians 3:16

Psalm 119:9-16

Group discussion:

Ask these questions about the passages just read.

·      What are the benefits to meditating and or memorizing God’s word?

·      How does today’s scripture reading change your understanding about meditation and memorization?

·      How have you seen meditation and memorization modeled in a healthy way? How have you seen it modeled or taught in an unhealthy way?

Hand out the Communities @ Grace Handout

Quickly review. 

Group prayer: Spend time praying as a group about how to pursue the practices for this week as well as last weeks.

Handout: The Practice of Scripture Meditation and Memorization

Practice this week.

The practice this week is to incorporate scripture meditation and/or memorization into your week.

Passages from our time together in community

Psalm 1:1-3

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Colossians 3:16

Psalm 119:9-16

Ideas for practice

·      Select a scripture passage to meditate on in the coming week-perhaps one from above or a personal favorite. Write it out on a card you can carry with you, and refer to it often, using spare moments throughout your day to reflect on it. Set aside 20 minutes during your week to prayerfully focus on it in greater depth.

·      Identify a particular place that provides a setting of beauty and spend thirty minutes there contemplating all the ways in which you can see God’s gifts to you. If you desire, take along a notebook and write down your thoughts.

·      Practice Lectio Divina-Choose a passage of scripture, 6-8 verses.
Pause to be still and express your willingness to God to hear from Him.
Read the passage slowly listening for a word or phrase that jumps out to you.
Reflect (Meditate) on the passage asking, how is my life touched by this word?
Respond by reading the passage again slowly and begin to share with God the thoughts and feeling the text has brought out in you.   

·      Listen to the Lectio 365 app a few times during the week. There is morning and evening reading.

Preparation for next week
Come to the community next week ready to share something from your practice this week.