16 - A Clear Path to God

When you use your imagination in this way, it brings alive —in a way few other things can —the scripture story that you are meditating on or that has captured your attention.

It allows you to imagine the characters in the story, Jesus himself included, ‘speaking’ to you.

It allows you to imagine yourself being able to ask these people questions, and to imagine their answers.

It allows you to be simply a bystander observing all that’s happening.

It allows you to become any of the characters in the story.

Meditating on the scriptures with your imagination is an excellent way of preparing to enter into God’s presence.

The principles outlined here for meditating on/praying the scriptures will provide huge benefits for you in any life circumstance or situation —joyful or traumatic —that faces you.

Not the Same as an Academic Study

of the Scriptures

Note:

This way of reflecting imaginatively on scripture is NOT an academic Bible Study.

Your intellect is NOT the primary faculty you apply.

It’s simply your imagination that you apply!

So never ‘think’ your way through the story.

Rather, PARTICPATE in it!

Respond imaginatively at your ‘gut’ level.

Once you’ve found something in the scripture story that captures your interest, stay with it for a few brief moments.

Then let it go completely!

The LORD TAKES OVER FROM HERE.

Never be tempted to apply your ‘thinking’, analytical mind to analyze the story in any way.

That would entirely defeat the purpose of using your imagination.

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Using Your Imagination to Reflect on Scripture

Time You Need

- Time for scripture reflection using your imagination: 20 - 30 minutes

- Time in God’s presence: Your choice of 5, 10, or 20 minutes

- Time for coming out of God’s presence: 1 - 2 minutes

TOTAL TIME: Approximately 27 - 52 minutes

The Preparation

Do not eat a full meal right before meditating on the scripture.

You will likely fall asleep!

Deliberately quiet down from all your previous demanding responsibilities and activities.

Do something that relaxes you for about 10 minutes e. g. listen to quiet music, take a short walk outside in nature, light a candle and relax as you watch the flame

Choose a story, preferably from the New Testament, that already has meaning for you.

In your imagination, try to be present at the scene.

For example, you can be

an observer
you can be one of the people participating

Or you can try both!

Become any of the characters you wish.

Here are some examples to start you off.

Example 1

The story of the Samaritan woman

John 4:1 – 42

You might...

Take a good look at the woman.

What strikes you most about her?

Notice the reaction of the woman: fear, insecurity, indifference, amazement, etc.

Or you might …

Become the Samaritan woman.

What is your first …

second …

third ….

Final …

response to the Lord?

What thoughts flooded your mind that night before you went to sleep?

What surprises you most about Jesus?

Or, you might…

watch Jesus closely as He chats with the Samaritan woman.

Notice His body language.

Does He use His hands when speaking?

Look closely at His eyes, His countenance.

What exactly do you see?

Was Jesus the Person you thought he was, or someone quite different?

How is He different?

How is He the same?

Ask Jesus a question about His meeting with the woman.

Or ask Him any question you’ve always wanted to ask Him.

Listen carefully as He answers you.

Have a conversation with Him just as you would if you could do so in the flesh.

Then imagine again you are the woman when she goes to tell her neighbours about the Person she has met.

What is the strongest emotion that you (the woman) feel rising up within you?

Why is it so strong?

Or, you might …

Become one of the woman’s neighbours.

How do you react to this woman’s story?

What’s your foremost emotion: curiosity, disbelief, doubt, or …?

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What stood out for you the very most about this story?

What is the emotion that stays with you as a result of your meditation on/participation in this story?

Jot that emotion down in your diary. Emotions are always important to God.

Example 2

The story of the man born blind

John 9: 9 – 41

You might …

Become the blind man

How do you (the blind man) feel and what are you thinking when you are thrown out and discarded by the religious authorities?

How do you (the blind man) feel and what are you thinking when Jesus suddenly comes looking for you?

Describe Jesus’ face and body language as He speaks with you.

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What stood out for you the very most about this story?

What is the emotion that stays with you as a result of your meditation on/participation in this story?

Jot that emotion down in your diary. Emotions are always important to God.

Example 3

The story of Zacheus:

Luke 19: 1 – 10

You might…

Become Zacheus as he crouches in the tree watching for Jesus.

Or you might …

Become one of the onlookers.

Are you fascinated by what you’re observing?

Why?

Are YOU anxious to see Jesus?

Why?

Or you might …

Decide to talk with Zacheus.

For example, ask Zacheus why he climbed up in the tree.

Ask him why he is so anxious to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

Listen carefully to His response.

Then you might become Zacheus again as Jesus addresses him.

Are you scared, or are you just in awe of Jesus?

Do you notice anything in particular about Jesus’ countenance?

What do you say to Jesus when Jesus has finished speaking to you?

Or, you might …

Decide to watch Jesus closely the whole time.

Then ask yourself:

Was Jesus the Person you thought he was, or someone quite different?

How was He different?

How was He the same?

Then you might have a question you want to ask Jesus.

Ask Him

Then listen carefully.

Have a conversation with Jesus just as you would if you were to meet Him in the flesh.

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What stood out for you the very most about this story?

What is the emotion that stays with you as a result of your meditation on/participation in this story?

Jot that emotion down in your diary. Emotions are always important to God.

An Example of My Own

Here’s a fairly recent example from my own experience of using my imagination to meditate on/pray the scripture before entering into God’s presence.

Four years ago, on a much-needed, private, guided retreat, I decided —with the usual nudge from the Holy Spirit (!) —that I wanted to spend my retreat looking at the way Jesus prayed.

For me, this was an utterly intriguing topic.

My spiritual guide agreed wholeheartedly.

On my first guidance session during the retreat, she asked me how things were going.

I replied without hesitation by describing for her what had happened in my preparation with the scripture before entering into the Lord’s presence.

In my very first meditation on scripture using my imagination, I began to imagine Jesus at prayer alone.

Almost immediately, I saw Jesus yawn.

Jesus yawned.

That’s what I saw—clearly!

My guide responded immediately by noting that the Lord seemed to be inviting me to see Him as He really was when alone.

It was, she suggested, an invitation He’d extended to me to come up very close!

This little exercise had now set the tone for my entire retreat.

The Lord had invited me to come up very close to Him!

Had I not used my imagination to reflect on the scripture where Jesus prays alone, I would have missed out on this specific invitation from the Lord at this particular time in my life!

So …never be tempted to underestimate the benefits of using your God-given imagination to reflect/meditate on/pray the scriptures.

With a bit of imagination, this kind of personal identification with a scripture-story character, Jesus included, can happen for you too!

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Scripture stories like this are rich in possibilities for connecting you to the Lord imaginatively as you place yourself right smack in the middle of the story.

Then, you will be far more open to entering into His direct Presence in your silent prayer, and EXPERIENCING

HIM
His love
His peace

—firsthand, directly, one-on-one, for yourself!

Note

This article first appeared in one of my older articles, Tune in to Love.

Find out how this article helped Sonia and her friends

Jan sent me her article formerly called “Tune into Love” in the

middle of this pandemic we have been facing across the globe.

The timing I believe was God appointed. The concise and very practical way in which Jan explained the ease at which we can enter into the presence of God and envelope ourselves in the love He offers us as our Abba Father, was a timely reminder for me.

I have walked this journey with Jan for about thirty years, and quieting myself and spending time in HIS Presence is very much a part of my own walk with Jesus.

‘Tuning into Love’ in this manner and journaling those things that the Holy Spirit speaks into my spirit helps my see my life with all of its challenges through the eyes of Jesus. It truly dispels my fears and wipes away the anxiety that can so easily turn my life into turmoil.

One of the most helpful things about this article is that I can share these steps now so easily with friends and share this truly life changing process as we seek to know Jesus more intimately and make Him known.

Thank you, Jan, for sharing this with me.

Sonia

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I’m Jan Weel.

In 1984, at the age of 35, in answer to my prayer for urgent help during a personal trauma, God introduced me to a simple and utterly reliable way to experience firsthand, directly, one-on-one, His presence, love and rest.

The early church had prayed in this way. In fact, this is the very same way of prayer that Jesus himself taught you and me.

Get help now.

If you’re a Christian woman from ANY Christian denomination who’s seeking God’s help urgently for ANY reason, this way is guaranteed to give you the help you’re seeking.

It always gets results.

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