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Using Your Imagination to Read and Pray the Scriptures
Imitating Our Creator
We are made in the image and likeness of God. We have many characteristics of our Divine Creator: reasoning ability, emotions, creativity, and imagination. Yes, God can create things out of nothing and we create using the things God has already made. Still, God shared His creativity with us. Part of that creativity is the gift of our imaginations.
While God creates an entire universe out of pre-subatomic substances, we human beings create things and actions using parts of God’s creation. Usually, our human creations begin with our thoughts. Then we develop those thoughts according to a plan. Consider a few examples. One does not simply go out one day and build a skyscraper. First, he imagines how the skyscraper will look as a mental picture. Then he develops his plans more fully, hiring architects and engineers, and raising capital to pay for the project.
Similarly, consider a businesswoman who wants to build a Web site for her small company. She will first start with some vision, however basic, of how her Web site will look. After developing that vision, she starts to design her site and decides whether to build it herself or hire the services of a Web design professional to help her.
In each case, you can see that we create first with our imaginations. We have an idea, a vision, or a daydream. We follow some of these; we abandon others; we let still others simply pass as transient thoughts. However, every time we actually follow through on our dreams, we work to create something, using the abilities God has given us individually and the many gifts in His wondrous creation. By using our imaginations for good and constructive purposes, we imitate, in a small way, the work of our Creator. An old proverb says, “Imitation is the most sincere form of praise.” Thus, by using our imaginations in healthy, positive ways, we are offering prayers of thanksgiving and praise to our God.
The Value of Using Our Imagination When Reading and Praying the Scriptures
As Jesus’ modern disciples, we face many challenges in the world. A friend of mine once said that a relationship with Jesus Christ is an “earth-shattering, life-shattering” experience. Indeed, as that friend noted, we allow Christ to revive our entire lives, to lead us down paths we might fear to travel on our own, and to transform the world, bringing forth God’s Kingdom.
Obviously, this is a daunting proposition. Like any relationship, our relationship with Jesus requires time and attention. We can’t simply take it for granted, declare “I am saved because I have faith in Jesus,” and live our lives as unbelievers, with an occasional or even weekly visit to our churches on Sunday.
We need to spend time with our Lord. The many forces of evil in the world will try to discourage us, wear us down, and pull us away from our relationship with Christ. The battle of a disciple is daily; we will become weary if we try to struggle on our own. We need prayer and reflection upon God’s Word to nourish us and to refresh us. Additionally, the time we spend in prayer and reading the Scriptures helps us to deepen our relationship with Jesus.
I invite you to pray using your imagination to create vivid imagery that will help you draw closer to the Lord and deepen your relationship with Him. The more mental images we attach to parts of Scripture, the more frequently we will find ourselves contemplating God. God created with us with senses and with imagination. The more we use our senses and our imagination, the more often we will think of God’s Word, and the closer we will come to following the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to pray constantly. (Cf. 1 Thess. 5:17). Furthermore, as we spend more time using our imagination to read and pray God’s Word, engaging more of our senses and our more of our minds, we will move ever closer to fulfilling the Greatest Commandment: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) (NAB) (emphasis added).
This method of imaginative prayer is not new. Throughout the Old Testament, God invites us to seek His face. (Cf. 2 Chron. 7:14; Psalm 24:6; Psalm 27:8; Psalm 105:4; Hosea 5:15). Later, in his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, described a similar method of prayer which he called the use of “fantasy.” Following this tradition, the late Roman Catholic Jesuit, Anthony De Mello recommended the use of imagination in prayer. (Cf. Anthony De Mello, Sadhana: A Way to God, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1984).
In this devotional article, I will first present a guided reflection on the first three verses of the 23rd Psalm. I will then propose an exercise for you to do for the second half of Psalm 23. I will close by offering a list of passages from the New Testament that I find particularly conducive to this form of prayer, because of their rich imagery.
An Example of Using Imagination in Reading and Prayer
First, read Psalm 23. Take your time reading it. It will help if you pick your favorite translation of the Psalms. If you normally work with several translations, select the one that you feel suggests to you the most vivid imagery for this popular Psalm. Then, read that translation slowly and carefully. Pretend that you have never seen or heard—or even heard of—Psalm 23 before, and that you are reading it for the first time.
Now reread Psalm 23. However, this time, read the Psalm more slowly. Pay attention to each word as you read it, and take your time. I can best describe the level of concentration you need for this form of prayer by inviting you to read each word as if your very life depended on it—your spiritual life does depend on it!
Notice any mental pictures you form or emotional reactions you have to particular words or phrases. For example, when you read the word, “shepherd,” in verse 1, what do you see in your mind’s eye? Do you see an image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, dressed in Middle Eastern shepherd’s garb, holding a shepherd’s crook? Or, is Jesus wearing more modern, Western clothing?
When you read “quiet waters,” how does that make you feel? At peace? Happy? Refreshed? Is there anything in the peaceful setting that troubles you, or makes you feel uncomfortable? If there is, spend a little time looking at it. Ask God to give you some insights into what is troubling you and why. Ask Him to help you resolve it. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will lead you to pray about it again, at another time. Follow the Lord’s lead in such cases.
After you have read the Psalm a second time and are ready to continue, indulge in some mental imagery. It will help if you find a quiet place to pray (Cf. Matthew 6:5-6; Mark 1:35). Closing your eyes for this prayer will also help you block out visual distractions. If you have trouble with distractions, simply recognize them and gently bring your mind back to the picture of being in the peaceful, green pasture with Our Lord and the other sheep in His flock. Do not be discouraged by distractions; this type of prayer requires concentration and practice. Pray to the Holy Spirit to help you concentrate. He will help you. After all, the Spirit helps us to pray even though we do not know how to pray properly. (Cf. Romans 8:26).
Close your eyes and try to picture the entire scene described in Psalm 23. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is present in a beautiful green pastoral field. How does Jesus look? How does Jesus’ face look? Does he smile at you, lovingly? How are Jesus’ mannerisms as He tends the sheep? How does it feel to be with Him?
How do you look? How does it feel to be like one of those sheep? Can you feel docile and calm? What is it like to regain childlike innocence in the presence of the Lord? Observe yourself. What color is your wool? Is your woolly coat white or off-white? Is it black? Have you ever been the “black sheep” of your family, a group of friends, an organization, or society? Have you ever looked at others as “black sheep”?
Are there other sheep present? How do they look? Observe them, as you observed yourself. What color are they? Do you recognize any of them? What are the other sheep doing? Is Jesus talking to them, too?
Jesus gently encourages you to lie down in the meadow to rest. Is the grass tall or short? How does the grass feel when you lie down on it? Is it warm or cool? Is there a covering of the morning’s dew on the blades of grass?
Look up at the sky for a moment. Is it a bright, sunny day? Are there clouds? Is there much wind, or is there stillness in the air.
Now, imagine Jesus leading you to the water and offering it to you. How do you react to this? What does Jesus say to you? What do you say to Him?
Look at the water. Is it in a river? A spring? A lake? Is the water clear? Can you see the reflection of the sun on the water? Can you see the reflection of your own face on the water?
What are the other sheep doing? Are they drinking the water, too? Is Jesus speaking to them? Are they talking to Him? What are they saying?
Take a moment to sip the water. Notice how the water feels as it touches your lips, your tongue, and the roof of your mouth, and pay attention as it reaches your throat. Is the water cool or warm? How does it feel to be refreshed by this water? Drink as much as you like. Jesus offers you as much refreshment as you need.
Spend as much time as you like thinking and praying about this pastoral scene. There is no need to hurry through this prayer. In fact, hurrying will only deprive you of some of the rich fruit this form of prayer can yield.
When you are ready, close this period of prayer by thanking God for all the gifts He has given you, including the gift of your mind and your imagination. Ask Him to help you to pray more and to spend more time with Him. Ask Jesus to help you to be more aware of His presence in every moment of your life. You may find it helpful to close with a short prayer of thanksgiving, or to pray for any intentions you have today, including for your family members, friends, coworkers, and people in your church or small group.
Exercise
The guided reflection above focused on verses 1-3 of Psalm 23. As a follow-up exercise, spend time using your imagination to ponder and pray the remaining verses (4-6) of this beloved Psalm. When you are first learning this technique of prayer, you may find it helpful to pray one verse at a time, especially when you are working with Scripture passages that have such vivid imagery as the 23rd Psalm. Remember to begin your reflection by finding a quiet place without distractions and to close your eyes, if that feels comfortable for you. Again, if you find yourself distracted, don’t fight the distractions, but gently bring your mind back to your prayer and reflection. If you have many distractions, ask God to help you work though them and to help you spend time with Him.
Additional Scripture Passages for Praying Imaginatively
Both the Old and the New Testaments contain countless passages that lend themselves to imaginative reading and prayer. Of course, all Scripture comes from the breath of the Holy Spirit and is useful for teaching and learning. (Cf. 2 Tim. 3:16). Nevertheless, as you begin to use this form of prayer, it may help to have a few selected verses as starting points, so you can devote your attention to the method of prayer rather than selecting the “right” passages to read and pray.
Therefore, to help you get started, I offer the following list of some of my favorite Scripture passages in the New Testament. I have selected these because I find them full of rich imagery and good starting points for prayer. Of course, these selections reflect my own biases and preferences and I have limited my choices to selections from the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. Still, I hope you find these verses as powerful as I do, and I pray that they will lead you to use your whole mind in prayer.
The Magi visit the newborn Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12)
The devil tempts Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11)
Jesus teaches about worry (Matthew 6:25-34)
The death of John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29)
Jesus heals the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30)
Jesus appears after His resurrection (Mark 16:9-20)
The Nativity of Jesus (Luke 2:1-21)
Jesus calms the storm on the lake (Luke 8:22-25)
The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)
Jesus converts the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:1-42)
Jesus forgives the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44)
Jesus washes the Apostles’ feet (John 13:1-17)
Jesus’ crucifixion and death (John 19:16-37)
Jesus reinstates Peter (John 21:15-25)
Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-41)
Peter heals a disabled man (Acts 3:1-10)
Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:1-19)
The New Jerusalem and the river of life (Rev. 21, 22:1-6)
Conclusion
Using our imaginations, as we read God’s word and as we pray, has at least two beneficial effects on our spiritual practice. First, it deepens our experiences of reading and prayer. Second, it eventually brings us into a closer relationship with Our Lord. I hope that this devotional article will help you to pray with more of your being and will help you to grow closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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