Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Kings 19:14-15 (New International Version 2011)

¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. ¹⁵ And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.

Hezekiah was in trouble. The letter mentioned above was from an enemy who was poised to destroy Hezekiah and his people.  Hezekiah spreads the message before him and begins to pray.

Superstition?

I don’t think so. I have done this. Sometimes I make a list of

• things troubling me
• people in my concerns
• wonderful things
• wonderful people

Sometimes I open the Bible to an especially important passage (for that day).

I look over the list or the passage and pray. The items on the list come closer to my heart, and I pray deeper.

God, thank you for prayer. Thank you for the example of Hezekiah and praying over a document.