S.O.A.P. | Meditating on God’s Word
The acronym S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. This is a personal devotion and Bible study method designed to help you go from reading the Bible to meditating on it. Biblical meditation can be defined as contemplating or thinking about Scripture over and over again. It is the process of saturating your heart and mind in the truth of God’s Word. S.O.A.P. will help you slow down, look more closely, and think more deeply on God’s Word. Grab a notebook or journal. Pray before you get started!
Scripture: Read a portion of scripture. As you read, pay attention to any phrase or verses that grabs your attention or leave an impression on you. Maybe it is a phrase or verse that provokes a question, triggers a thought, or stirs an emotion in you. Pick that one specific phrase or verse for the remainder of your study.
Observation: What do you see in this passage? Who are the people involved? What are the keywords or ideas? Are there any commands to obey, truths to believe or examples to follow? Consider summarizing this specific phrase or verse in your own words. What is the message or lesson of this passage? Write down a few sentences of observation.
Application: How does this phrase or verse impact your life today?
How might God want you to personally respond? What are you going to do? How can you personally apply this Scripture to your circumstances? How would your life look differently if you took an action step and put this into practice? Why might God be bringing this to your attention? What is God saying to you? Write down a few sentences of application.
Prayer: Turn this passage into a prayer. Ask God to give you greater understanding., wisdom or the strength to follow through and take this action step. Maybe pray a prayer of thanks of confess an area of sin. Ask God for help to obey His leadership in hour life. Write down a few sentences of prayer.