“In the beginning, God created the heavens
and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep
waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2
Our church is delving into the concept and practice of Solemn or Sacred Assembly. In a nutshell, it’s about taking the time as a community or individual to be still and listen for God’s voice. Wednesday, we are gathering as a body to take part in our own assembly before God. The Meeting House Oakville’s explanation is very, very good so I won’t try and duplicate four Sunday’s worth of teaching in this space. Feel free to go on their website and check out Restored.
Yes, we have remained with the Meeting House
in spite of what happened with Bruxy. Personally, I like the direction they are
headed in, a direction grounded in humility, repentance and grace.
I didn’t know this idea of coming before God
had a name and as I watched the teaching, I realized it’s what I do with art. I felt a nudge that led me to approached one of our church leaders. I have offered to do a group about The Art
of Prayer. She was very excited because there had been some discussion about
maintaining Sacred Assembly as an ongoing practice in our church.
In trying to explain to a friend what happens
when I sit down before a blank piece of paper, art supplies at hand, I realized
that the Lord had already made Sacred Assembly part of my faith life. It started the
moment I became a Christian.
Baby talk. Yup. God gave me images about
faith that were decidedly corny…a candle in the darkness, a star in the sky, an
open door of invitation. I got the point. But the point wasn’t about the image
in and of itself, it was about learning to sit quietly and wait.
It was about nurturing the inner creator with
the tender guidance of the greatest Creator of all.
That same creator spirit is in every one of
us. The task before me is how to help others unlock it. I get a strong sense
that the Art of Prayer group is going to last far longer than a single
gathering.
A little boy knelt before his bed, hands
folded, eyes closed. “A, B, C, D…”
His mother asked what he was doing.
“Praying,” he replied, “but I don’t know the words.
I am giving God the letters because He knows what I want to say.”
In praying through art, I give my hands, the
paper, the materials to God because He knows what I want to say even if I have
no conscious idea.
Ironically, it’s not about the art at all. The group won’t be about teaching others how to draw or paint. It’s about liberation and letting go of control.
The other huge stumbling block is art in and
of itself. I think back through church history when artists were arrested or
killed for creating anything that did not focus on God or stories from the
Bible. The church had a firm chokehold on anything that might deviate from
their agenda. When I realize how much of a personal connection I have with
Jesus because of the art, it makes sense those in power would see this as a
threat way back when. If I had a personal connection, I wouldn’t need to pay a priest
to intercede for me.
The church eventually loosened their grip but
the foundation was laid. Society picked up the hammer for them. Studies have
shown that artistic expression is one of the first things children lose in
school. By the age of 7, the marking system, scales of ability based on age,
and criticism have crushed the creator spirit.
It’s a good thing they can never, ever crush
the Creator’s Spirit!
The Art of Prayer is not just for those of us
who are experienced artists. Stick figures speak a universal language, don’t
they?
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