Lectio Divina: Matthew 6:25-33 (Worry)

"Lectio Divina (Latin for "Divine Reading") is a traditional monastic practice of scriptural reading, meditation, and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's word. This guided meditation is based on Matthew 6:25-33.

Transcript

Today's reading is from Matthew 6 25 through 33.

I will be reading from the new revised standard version.

I Will lead you through the passage four times After each reading I will give you time to reflect on the reading with a different focus each time Before we begin find a comfortable place to sit Place yourself in a position to receive the Holy Spirit Take a deep breath from your nose and release slowly through your mouth and pause Relax your body and ask God to be with you and with your thoughts Imagine yourself sitting in the presence of God Remember this is a meditation.

It is a time for you to reflect on the text If you find your mind wandering and just gently bring it back to the reading Take another deep breath from your nose and release slowly from your mouth and pause As I read this passage through the first time listen for patterns images and ideas Listen as if you are listening to someone read a personal letter addressed to you Listen for words or phrases that speak to you The words of Jesus Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life What you will eat or what you will drink or about your body what you will wear Is not life more than food in the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air.

They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns And yet your heavenly father feeds them Are you not of more value than they and?

Can any of you by worrying at a single hour to your span of life?

And why do you worry about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field How they grow they neither toil nor spin Yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these But if God so closed the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven Will he not much more clothes you?

You a little faith Therefore do not worry saying what will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear?

For it is the Gentiles who strive for these things and Indeed your heavenly father knows that you need all these things Let's drive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well You Take another deep breath from the nose and release slowly through the mouth and pause As I read through this passage the second time recall anything that stood out to you during the first reading Is this something that you can connect to your life?

And what is it that you need to know about the Lord?

Is this something that you can connect to your life?

Use your imagination and paint a middle picture of the text Place yourself in the story and engage your senses What you experience as you sit in this passage?

Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life What you will eat or what you will drink or about your body what you will wear is not life more than food in the body more than clothing look at the birds of the air they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them are you not of more value than they and can any of you by worrying at a single hour to your span of life and why do you worry about clothing consider the lilies of the field how they grow they neither toil nor spin yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these but if God so closed the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven will he not much more clothe you you a little faith therefore do not worry saying what will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear for does the Gentiles who strive for these things and indeed your heavenly father knows that you need all these things but strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well take another deep breath from the nose and release slowly through the mouth and pause as I read this passage the third time reflect on the thoughts feelings actions fears convictions and questions you have experienced up to this point offer these to God in prayer praise God for who God is therefore I tell you do not worry about your life what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body what you will wear is not life more than food in the body more than clothing look at the birds of the air they neither so nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them are you not of more value than they and can any of you by worrying at a single hour to your span of life and why do you worry about clothing consider the lilies of the field how they grow they neither toil nor spin yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these but if God so closed the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven will he not much more cloth you you a little faith therefore do not worry saying what will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear for does the Gentiles who strive for these things and indeed your heavenly father knows that you need all these things but strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well take another deep breath from the nose and release slowly through the mouth and pause as I read this passage through the fourth and final time sit in silence in the presence of God be still and know that God is God simply set and allow yourself to feel the presence of God and feel God's tender love and embrace therefore I tell you do not worry about your life what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body what you will wear is not life more than food in the body more than clothing look at the birds of the air they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them are you not of more value than they and can any of you by worrying at a single hour to your span of life and why do you worry about clothing consider the lilies of the field how they grow they neither toil nor spin yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these but if God so close the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven will he not much more close you you a little faith therefore do not worry saying what will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear for it is the Gentiles who strive for these things and indeed your heavenly father knows that you need all these things but strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well now take another deep breath from the nose and release slowly through the mouth and pause as you think about your experience with God during this exercise ask yourself three questions what did you learn from or about God what did you learn about what God thinks or wants from you what action steps if any can you take out of conviction from this lesson may you feel the presence of God throughout your day today amen

Reviews

Fortuitous I chose this this morning. I’ve been quite worried. Not about clothes or food, but serious health matters. It gave me some ability to let the worry go as the worry won’t solve anything.

Very well done! Great way to hear from God.

Gives me a new viewpoint on the familiar “lilies of the field“ passage. Thank you.

Thank You 🙏. I am grateful that I have found Lecto Divina here to practice.

I love it
Excellent!!!

That moved me greatly, Dave. Thank you.

I can feel scripture in my heart, think about what it means and memorize it in the same sitting.

Thank you for this scripture reading. God is with me.