Start with prayer. You can make up your own or pray: Holy Spirit, Light up the truth in this passage that you want me to know today. Amen

Do a close reading of the passage.  This might look like:

• Reading slowly in a hardcopy Bible;

• Reading slowly online here or on a Bible App;

• Listening to the passage read on YouVersion Bible App (Use ESV Translation for audio option)

Bonus Engagement:

• If you have time, transcribe all or some of a passage 

• Create a flow chart or picture to describe what you are hearing/reading

Identify 3 details from the passage that stand out to you. 

• Note, this is not a test to see if you pick the “right” 3 things.  The Holy Spirit will illuminate different details for different people and purposes.  The key is learning to pay attention.

• You can underline these, write them down, or type them into your notes app.

Identify three things that you “wonder” about.  

• Counterintuitively, the dumber the questions, the better.  You’d be astounded how often people miss out on hearing from God when they don’t allow themselves to wonder about basic ideas.

• You can underline these, write them down, or type them into your notes app.

Consider these questions, and as you do, notice how the Holy Spirit lights up the meaning of the passage and works with your own thinking about it.

• Who are the “characters” in this passage? What is their role in giving and receiving blessing?

• What is the Good News in this passage?

• What does this passage reveal about how God sees creation?

• How does this passage call creation to respond to God?

End in Prayer: Thank God for speaking to you through his word.