QUIET TIME TOOLBOX
A Great Adventure
For every believer there are those times when we wish our fervor for God's Word burned a little brighter. What would it take for us to experience the pages of God's Word afresh -- as if we were there the moment it was God-breathed? Try this simple plan for a refreshing change!
As Easy as Taking a Picture
Even amateur photographers know there are four basic steps to taking a good picture: frame it, focus it, capture it, develop it. Scripture Praying takes these four steps and combines the stories, pictures and parables from Scripture with the imagination God has given us to explore His Word. Begin by choosing a passage you would like to explore.
STEP ONE -- FRAME IT!
To properly frame a subject, you need to first look at the big picture, establish a target point of interest, choose the best angle and zoom in on the subject. Read through the passage you have selected a couple of times, taking note of the context (the what, when, where, who, why elements), and decide on a perspective you'd like to pursue (for example, in the story of the Prodigal Son, it could be the father, the prodigal, the older brother, the mom etc.). Then begin to 'zoom in' by imagining what it was like for them. Consider sights and sounds, and relationships and events in the person's life that led to this moment, or what will follow in the future. Once you have framed your story, you are ready to go on to the next step!
(For a more thorough explanation of this process, see the chapter on Scripture Praying in Tricia's book The Soul at Rest.)
STEP TWO -- FOCUS IT!
Any picture that is out of focus is pretty worthless, so this is a critical step. Take some time to fine-tune here, by asking more questions and listening for God to speak. Consider how you might have felt if you were that person. Seek to delve deeper into their emotions and thought-processes. Ask the Holy Spirit to illumine your heart to the truth He has for you in this. Then wait in quietness as you ponder the story again. STEP THREE -- CAPTURE IT! Every good photographer knows the aha moment, that perfect time to take the picture. In Scripture Praying, this is when God speaks something powerful to your heart concerning what you've read. When this happens, be very still as you take the time to capture the moment, savoring it, pondering it, or meditating on the truth God is revealing. Don't rush, but enjoy His presence in silence as if He is speaking to you and no one else is around. STEP FOUR -- DEVELOP IT! Pictures left in the camera will not have much value beyond the moment, and neither will God's truth unless we work at developing it. Take the time to write out what you've seen, journal a prayer of thanksgiving, write a verse on a card to memorize, or make plans to share with someone else. Come back in a day or so to review what God has shown you so that it takes root deep inside your heart.
