"Then God said, "Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind--livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.." And that is what happened...And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals in the earth and small creatures that scurry along the ground...Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground."...Then God looked over all he had made and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came marking the sixth day." Genesis 1:24-31
God created humans "To be like us."
Not, "Me."
I've known of the triune nature of God for most of my life but it seems to have special significance this morning.
"Us" is Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit in one.
Therefore, by being created in God's image, we have a triune nature consisting of body, soul and spirit. These separate traits are what make up the whole of us.
I doubt that's an earth shattering revelation. Bear with me. (Smile.)
What happens if our spirits are crushed or our souls (hearts?) are broken? What happens if we struggle with body image?
There is disunity...a cognitive dissonance. This dissonance extends beyond ourselves. The disunity within makes it difficult to be united with not only God but with others.
Taking time to pray is becoming like Adam or Eve before the apple was eaten. Prayer is walking with God in the Garden of Eden, talking with Him, sharing our burdens, our joys, our hopes and our life with Him.
Yes, God knows everything about us already.. It's a good thing because so often we don't know the self God created in us! Prayer is not for God's benefit, it's for ours.
I faced a lot of internal objections around using art as the means to explore the traumas of my past. It was two years before the people at the drop in centre I went to daily learned I could draw or paint. I also had to overcome the nastiest Yahbut, "It happened so long ago. It doesn't matter."
"Yahbut," I replied (two can play at this game,) " I want to know God's truth."
A lot happens when we allow God to reveal the hidden, non-verbal stories that make up us. Expressing them in a visual form takes finding the right words off the agenda. It pares down the wonderful, delightful complexity of life into manageable pieces. There's release and eventually relief. It might take more than one time to find healing and closure.
The art also helps to contain our emotions within the boundaries of the canvas or paper. When the feels are huge, when we unlock our hearts, it helps to be able to close the book for a time to rest, reflect and recuperate.
Rest is a big part of creation. I take frequent breaks when praying through the art or writing. They aren't long, but stepping away for a couple of minutes can leave an opportunity for further revelation or understanding to evolve.
Prayer, giving the time to God, takes the act of creation to the next level, far beyond the borders of our internal, broken selves. Prayer unlocks us.
"But how do I begin?" I asked God a long time ago.
"Begin by starting." He replied.
I had no idea art would become a matter of life or death a few short years into the future. I had no idea the simple watercolour image of a candle in the darkness represented what the art would become: a lifeline, a glimmer of hope when things were really bad. (I just realized this now, nineteen years after those first tentative brushstrokes. I thought the candle only represented God or Jesus.)
It took many years before I began sharing what the art meant, finding the right words for what had been a confusing mess of unutterable secrets. First with God through the writing, then actually speaking with a few trusted friends.
It wasn't always the tough stuff that appeared. I often celebrated my faith and gratitude through the art. It's important to take some time to play and enjoy the act of creation.
So maybe that's a good starting point for anyone wanting to explore praying in this new way. Get a magazine or two. Ask God to lead you to the images and/or words that represent what you are thankful for. Put them together on one page even if it's only one word or picture that says it all. It's not about quantity. It's not about the art in and of itself. It's about quality time with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
(Smile) my age is showing...maybe you can do this on your laptop by scrolling Google or Pinterest for images, too! Ask God to help you define what you are looking for because the internet is a big place. Copy and paste to your heart's delight if that's what works.
If it takes several days, when minutes are hard to find, that's okay, too.
It all starts with a beginning. AMEN!
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