Day 4 – Visio Divina
WEEK 1
This week, we are focusing on Revelation 21:1-10, what some describe as the Holy Wedding Day, when God will come and make all things new!
Read the passage and return to it as needed for your daily quiet time.
This Week's Passage: Revelation 21:1-10
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain,for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without costfrom the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.This is the second death.” 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride,the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
Visio Divina
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. — Romans 1:20 (NIV)
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 for God to communicate with us, and Visio Divina helps us to become more aware of His presence in our lives and in the world. To do it, we take time to focus on the beauty of God through creativity, such as a photograph, painting or other artwork, nature or other surroundings.
Like Lectio Divina, Visio Divina offers us an opportunity to be still, hear God’s voice, and grow in intimacy with Him as we seek to see through His eyes.
Next Steps:
- Choose your setting. The possibilities are endless!
- 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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