Hello Facilitator :-)

Go so much deeper with your group

Reflective Reading is a 3rd-century practice of Bible reading, meditation, and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's word. It does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied but as The Living Word.

The Bible uses two different Greek words to refer to the word of God. One is logos and the other is rhema. Understanding the meaning of these two words can help us know and experience scripture in a more meaningful way. In the Bible, logos are used to refer to the constant, written word of God, which we have recorded in the Bible.

​

Rhema is the lesser-known Greek word used in the Bible for word, and refers to the instant, personal speaking of God to us. God wants to communicate with us not only through His written word but also through speaking directly to us in our particular situations. It’s by the rhema word that we can know God subjectively and experientially. Both logos and rhema are crucial to our Christian life, for God uses His logos Word to speak His rhema word to us.

Which Scripture Speaks About Rhema?

There are three scriptures that I would like to mention here. The first I find really important and has been recorded to us by Matthew 4:4, “He answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word (rhema) that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (NIV). This word of God is rhema and we live by this word, not logos only. The implications are that if we just read the written word, logos, but do not wait for God to speak to us, we miss out on our daily bread to live on. It is when we remind God of the rhema words He gave us, that we start to see prayer being answered. John 6:63 and Ephesians 5:26 are also rhema and not logos.

STEPS FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION

STEP 1: Facilitator:
Preparation includes reading the passage before the group gathers and find the

wooden pieces that will be used to represent the chosen bible passage.

STEP 2: Build Relationship: Ask your group at arrival

- What are you thankful for this week (one or two things)?
- What are your struggles or needs for the week (one or two things)?
- How can we as a group pray for you and/or meet any of those needs this week?

STEP 3: Reading / Listen with the group verse by verse:

As you read, place the chosen wooden figures in the sand to portray the story as you read it. Move the pieces as the story unfolds. If you can, include the group in this process.

Facilitator: Asks the group to ponder the historical story.

Once the story or parable is portrayed in the sand, think about what the story meant to the original audience. Discuss for a few minutes. It is simply putting yourself in the shoes of the story without changing it.

Facilitator asks the following questions while people think about it first.

1. What does this tell us (reveal) about God?
2. What does this tell us (reveal) about humans?
3. What does this tell us (reveal) about God’s plan?

​

KEY STEP 4: Each member finds a wooden figure that would represent them in the box.

​

1. Who do I identify with, in the story today?
   Place a toothpick representing you there in the sand.

2. How does it make me feel to be here?
   Example: I can be one of the disciples, or the sick man, or next to Jesus, or far away in a desert removed from everyone.

3. Do I feel happy, mad, sad, glad, confused, curious, or anything else?

4. What story in your personal life do you connect this to now?

5. Where do you see Jesus now?

   Is he far or near? Is he inside the box or perhaps outside of the box?

6. What do you think he is saying to you personally today through this passage?

Share with one another. Key to the process:

​

Keep it short
- Never touch someone else’s image while they explain what is going on for them in the box.
- Do not interrupt or quote scripture to help someone hear what God might be saying. - Just listen. Keep a safe environment going. In a difficult situation, you can simply

respond by saying: "Thanks for sharing so honestly." Then move to the next person.

STEP 5: Pray.

If your group is new to prayer, go in a circle. Ask each person to think of one thing they can thank God for. Once the person is done, the next person can pray.