ART AND PRAYER
CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER SERIES
Contemplative Prayer
What if a painting could lead you into prayer?
Art has a way of quieting the noise and opening the heart. This series pairs the beauty of visual artwork with the depth of Scripture to guide you into genuine conversation with God — speaking, listening, and simply resting in the Divine presence.
Rooted in the ancient practice of Visio Divina (meaning "Divine Seeing"), these episodes are more than something to watch. They're an invitation — a gentle, unhurried space for prayer and contemplation.
As Henri Nouwen beautifully put it, "Our true challenge is to return to the center, to the heart, and to find there the gentle voice that speaks to us and affirms us in a way no human voice ever could."
Three ways to enter in:
🎨 Praying With an Artist and Their Work — Full video episodes of 17–25 minutes for when you're ready to slow down and go deeper. Available on YouTube.
⏱️ 60 Seconds with an Artist and Their Work — Brief, theme-based reflections drawn from the longer episodes, perfect for a moment of pause in your day. Available on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. (On mobile? Check the video descriptions for links to the original 9×16 versions.)
📖 Text Reflections — Prefer to move at your own pace? Each episode description includes a written version of the reflection, so you can linger with the image and the words in your own time and rhythm.
These experiences are designed not just to be watched, but to move you — from the screen into prayer. Wherever you are in your faith journey, there's a place for you here.
This Week’s Episodes
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The Series Creator
The series is created and presented by Rev. Rob McPherson, an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church with over 30 years experience. His writing on art, spirituality, and contemplative practice has been featured by Progressive Christianity. He received his MDiv from United Theological Seminary in 1994, and BA from the University of Michigan in 1990. He currently serves as the pastor of Davison United Methodist Church in Davison, MI. He produces these videos because they feed his soul and hopes that you also find them nourishing for your faith.
"Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation."
— Thomas Keating
What if Christ isn't asking us to escape the chaos of our lives, but to discover God's presence in the middle of it? The intricate patterns of the Book of Kells offer a beautiful meditation on the ways our lives become tangled, connected, and woven together.
Ephesians 1:19b-23
What if Christ isn't asking us to escape the chaos of our lives, but to discover God's presence in the middle of it? The intricate patterns of the Book of Kells offer a beautiful meditation on the ways our lives become tangled, connected, and woven together.
Ephesians 1:19b-23
Use this guide for prayer and contemplation. Read slowly, pausing as needed for silence and reflection.
Opening
Let us prepare ourselves for contemplation. Relax your body.
Slow your breathing.
Remind yourself that God is present with you.
Bring yourself before God with all that you are. Do not try to set aside the chaos or anxiety today. Be aware of it, and notice what God does with it as you meet with God.
Reflection on Contemplative Prayer
Celtic Christian spirituality has a long tradition of seeing creation as deeply interconnected. In this page from the Book of Kells, Christ sits enthroned at the center. Around him are knots, labyrinths, colorful creatures, and woven patterns. It all connects. The page is beautifully chaotic, like much of modern life. Yet Christ remains calm, centered, and present in the middle of it all.
As you pray, let the busyness of your life come with you. Let Christ be central, not apart from the complexity, but enthroned within it.
Scripture
[Ephesians 1:19b–23, Inclusive Bible]
You can tell this from the strength of God’s power at work in Jesus, the power used to raise Christ from the dead and to seat Christ in heaven at God’s right hand, far above every sovereignty, authority, power, or dominion, and above any other name that can be named—not only in this age, but also in the age to come.
God has put all things under Christ’s feet and made Christ the ruler of everything, the head of the church, and the church is Christ’s body; it is the fullness of the One who fills all of creation.
Listen now for the Spirit’s presence. Let this word draw your attention to Christ, the One who fills all creation and meets you in the middle of your life.
Artwork for Prayerful Reflection
Christ Enthroned, Book of Kells
As you gaze at the page, notice Christ at the center. Notice the knots, the creatures, the figures, and the patterns surrounding him.
The peacocks point toward eternal life. The four surrounding figures may be seen as angels, saints, or the four evangelists—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—gathered around Christ and the book he holds.
Let the image become a doorway into prayer. Let your life, with its knots and tangles, be held before Christ.
Reflection Questions
What words or phrases describing Christ stand out to you today?
As you gaze upon Christ, what do you notice in his presence?
What details surrounding Christ draw your attention?
What part of your life comes to mind as you look?
What do you want to bring to Christ from that part of your life?
What might Christ be saying to you about these things?
What else arises as you return to the image?
Where do you sense Christ offering stillness in the middle of complexity?
What beauty or larger pattern might God be inviting you to notice?
Closing
Christ, enthroned in the center of all things, receive the chaos, knots, and tangles of our lives. Open our eyes to your presence within them. Weave what we cannot see, and teach us to rest in you, the One who fills all of creation. Amen.