The Art Of Prayer, Part 4

   "Then God said, "Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear." And that is what happened. God called the dry ground "land" and the waters "seas." And God saw that it was good.  Then God said, "Let the land sprout with vegetation--every sort of seed bearing plant, and trees that grow seed bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came." And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation--all sorts of seed bearing plants, and trees with seed bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind and God saw that it was good. And evening and morning came, marking the third day. Genesis 1:9-13

  I wasn't sure what was next but couldn't remember if I had stated the most important factor in the Art of Prayer.

  You don't have to be an artist.

  What defines artistic ability anyways?

  I have often wondered the same thing when I see works of "art" that leave me wondering why and how they can be worth so much! Art galleries are full of examples such as large canvases covered in blocks of colour, there's scribbles a two year old could create, or sculptures that looked like they accidentally melted. Yet somehow these works of art are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!

  I guess the value lies in perception.

  So you don't have to be an artist because being an "artist" is indefinable.

  It's not about the value of the art anyways. It's that the art has value.

  It's also not about the purpose for the art either. It's that the art has purpose.

  Creation is a verb, a moving thing. It has life and fluidity and motion. Praying though art is surrendering to the process by letting go of expectations or preconceived ideas. It's an action, not a thing.

  Praying through art and opening yourself up to hear what God says is exactly like doodling while on the phone with a friend. Before you know it, the pen has run dry and the page is covered with art!(Thank you Lord, for this metaphor because I was struggling to explain what happens here at the table!)

  I regularly utilize collage. Cutting or tearing out pictures and words from magazines lends a physicality to the process. Action becomes ParticipACTION. (Smile, that's a Canadian made up word promoting exercise since the 1970's but it fits perfectly with the idea.)

  I wonder if it would help if I imagined dialing Jesus on the phone and sat there, "phone" in hand, to hear what He has to say?

  Find your "phone," your point or place of connection. Mine is the kitchen table. Could yours be music? Reading Scripture? Is it going for a walk? Would prayer help? 

  "Lord, I am grateful You are here with me. I am grateful for the opportunity to begin learning a new thing. I give thanks that You will calm my mind and enable me to be present in this moment. Set me free of anything that stands in the way of my inner creator. Forgive me for shutting my creator voice down and locking it away. Thank You that I have You to do all this in me and for me because it is for Your glory, not mine! Amen."  

  Nothing starts without first beginning. 

  Take a deep breath and jump!

  If you were to illustrate today's verse with one word or object, what would it be? Are you willing to put it down on paper?