Several years ago when our church class began discussing spiritual practices/disciplines I began sending out a weekly email to help us have a context for our thinking about practices and how these relate to formation and discipleship. Over time other folk were added to mailings. I am sending this to you today since you have received one of my mailings in the past.

Later I saved those mailings to my blog https://www.discipleswalk.org.

Over the last couple of years I have posted to the blog infrequently, but with this post, I plan to offer a weekly thought on practices, formation or discipleship.

If you do not want to receive the weekly email, let me know and I will not include you in future mailings.

… So … Here we go ….

A couple of months ago I came across an app called “Lectio 365.” It draws on the tradition of lectio divina (more on that in a future post) to integrate a daily reflection on Scripture with prayer. I have found its structure and underlying principles have much to offer and have enjoyed using the app.

First, as to its structure.

With each day’s meditation it steps you through a time to

• (1) Pause to be still,
• (2) Rejoice with a Psalm,
• (3) Reflect on Scripture,
• (4) Ask for God’s help, and
• (5) Yield to his will in your life.

In the app you can read the meditation for the day or listen to it on your device. The meditation is not available online so you have to have the app (there is a version for Apple devices and one for Andriod devices).

On the website https://www.24-7prayer.com/dailydevotional you can find some more info on the app and on the group that built it.

And that more information brings me to the underlying principles.

So, second, as to the foundation on which the app is built. And we are not looking at the technological foundation for the app but its spiritual underpinnings.

The 24-7 community reports it is built on three priorities and six core practices. The priorities are

• (1) To be authentic: true to Jesus;
• (2) To be relational: kind to others; and
• (3) To be missional: loyal to the gospel.

Looks and sounds like a “mission” statement you might find for any number of churches or organizations that stress Gospel spirituality.

And while it sounds good, it doesn’t tell you what to do about that “mission.”

That’s where the core practices enter in. To quote from their web page –

THE 6 PRACTICES
Being true to Jesus through:

(1) PRAYER AND WORSHIP – Encountering God and prioritising time in His presence
(2) CREATIVITY – Expressing praise and adoration in creative forms

Being kind to others through:

(3) HOSPITALITY – Demonstrating God’s welcome to everyone
(4) JUSTICE – Caring passionately about those who need support, and meeting the needs of others

Being loyal to the gospel through:
(5) MISSION – Intentionally sharing Jesus in prayer and in action
(6) LEARNING – Growing together in faith, knowledge and wisdom

I appreciate how they are trying to move beyond a great sounding “mission statement” and identifying ways to make their priorities a reality in their everyday lives.

And they really did build the daily meditations in the app around these practices. For instance, this week they are drawing attention to mission and justice by looking at passages from Acts and how the community of believers shared their lives and livelihood with one another.

Let’s let the producers of the app speak for themselves. The following description of the app is from the app on the page, “About Lectio365.” –

“Lectio 365 is a Christian daily devotional resource that helps you encounter God and shape your life by praying the Bible every day….”

“Each week – Explore a theme or practice with a leader from the 24-7 Prayer movement. Throughout the year journey through six practices that help us shape our lives around the three great loves at the heart of Christianity.

Discover how we love God through prayer and creativity (Matthew 22:37), love one another through justice and hospitality (Matthew 22:39), and love the world through learning and mission (Matthew 28:18-20).”

From the time I have spent with the app thus far, I will say they are doing a good job staying on focus with their identified priorities and practices. There is something there for us to pay attention to.

I think the app is worth trying on for a while. If you do, let me know what you think.

Charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}