Do you know at this moment you are praying the ancient prayer of hieroglyphics? That word, which means "sacred marks or pictographs," was used by Egyptians for the art of writing. They believed writing to be a sacred gift from the gods.
Our modern world is awash in words — in ink, pencil, paint, neon and especially electronically on your computer screens. Yet words can continue to be gifts from God. . . .
God has not stopped speaking. God speaks to you, encourages and inspires you in countless ways. Perhaps our primary spiritual task is to pay attention and learn how to listen. God communicates to you through the signs of the times and the events of daily life. God speaks to you in the holy words of scripture as well as in the commonplace words in your spiritual reading. . . .
I propose a small ritual to assist you in seeing your time of spiritual reading as the Prayer of Hieroglyphics. Pause before you begin reading, and with your thumb make a sign of the cross on your forehead and heart. Then as you read, be alert for hidden messages from God addressed personally to you concealed in the words on the page. A good rule for spiritual reading is: Read a little and reflect a lot.
— Edward Hays in Prayer Notes to a Friend