Day 11 – Visio Divina
WEEK 2:
On days 8-14 of our time of prayer and fasting, we are focusing on Revelation 21:22 – Revelation 22:5, which centers around the restoration of the Garden of Eden.
Read the passage and return to it as needed for your daily quiet time.
This Week's Passage — Revelation 21:22 – 22:5
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Ch. 22
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Visio Divina
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. — John 1:1-5 (NIV)
Like we shared with you on day four of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, the practice of Visio Divina (divine seeing) is a spiritual discipline of prayerful interaction with nature, images, or other forms of creation. Imagery is an important, impactful way that God communicates with many of us, and Visio Divina helps us to become more aware of His presence in our lives and in the world.
Let’s take time to focus on the beauty of God through creativity, such as a photograph, painting or other artwork, nature or other surroundings!
Next Steps:
- Choose your setting. (If possible, choose a different setting than last week.)
- You may decide to take a leisurely walk, sit on a park bench, exercise outdoors, visit a museum or gallery, or look at photographs. You may decide to observe what’s going on around you wherever you are, like a coffee shop, on your lunch break, or in your living room.
- Say a prayer and get still before you begin.
- Brief prayer: “Father, I surrender this time to you. Help me to receive all that you have for me.”
- Then close your eyes, breathe deeply, and sit quietly for a few moments so that your mind is open to hearing from God.
- Look around your environment and ask Holy Spirit to guide you to what He wants you to set your gaze upon.
- Take a look around and allow your eyes to settle on what captures your attention.
- Pause and meditate.
- Pause to focus on what has caught your eye.
- Try to keep your eyes from wandering.
- Take your time to reflect for a minute or two.
- Contemplate and consider.
- What emotions does this evoke? What memories and/or feelings are stirring?
- Ask God to speak to you about what you are seeing and sensing. Is there a correlation to your life?
- Respond.
- Express your heart to God. What do you want to remember about this moment in time? You can do this out loud, silently, or in written form.
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