Step into the wilderness with Christ—and discover the renewal solitude brings. Through scripture, silence, and the evocative painting Christ in the Wilderness, this session invites you to retreat from distraction and draw close to God. Let the quiet speak, and listen for how the Spirit meets you in stillness.

Mark 1:12-13

Use this guide for prayer and contemplation. Read slowly, pausing as needed for silence and reflection.

Opening

Welcome to this time of Art and Prayer, using Visio Divina—a contemplative way of prayer that draws us into God’s presence through artwork and Scripture. Settle into a comfortable posture. Take a slow breath. Allow a moment of quiet.

Reflection on Contemplative Prayer

As we learn to be awake to the presence of God in the midst of life, one important practice is to make regular time for quiet prayer and reflection—periodic retreats from the world—where we intentionally lay aside our preoccupations and become attentive to God in stillness. In that stillness, God can open our eyes and deepen our awareness of God’s presence—the signs of transcendence: the sense that God is beyond us, surrounding us.

And yet, even as we recognize God’s transcendence, we also discover God’s nearness—God’s closeness to us.

In Contemplative Vision, Juliet Benner writes that a spiritual retreat is never simply a matter of rest or relaxation, planning, or even teaching. Its focus is relational. It is centered on encountering God. A retreat is a time to set aside our agendas, attachments, and preoccupations and place ourselves completely in the hands of God—responding to an invitation from our Heavenly Father to come away with him. God is the host of this encounter and therefore must be in control of the agenda.

Thomas Green calls a retreat “a vacation with the Lord.” This vacation is not primarily about learning from God, but simply being with God—not a time to get something done, but rather a time for God to do something in and with you. Most of us are so busy; we don’t need more things to do. We do need time to be—especially time to be present with God.

Scripture

As you listen, don’t strain to analyze or master the passage. Simply receive it. Notice what speaks to you most deeply. Hold a word or phrase gently, and allow it to echo within you.

Mark 1:12–13[Translation]
At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

Artwork for Prayerful Reflection

Moretto da Brescia, Christ in the Wilderness

This desert is not a wide, sandy expanse of dunes. It is a place of rugged rocks, punctuated by shadowed clefts, with two trees growing near the center. The tree on the left looks dead, with dry, leafless branches. The one on the right leans toward Jesus and is alive with fresh green leaves, some on its lower branches turning red.

Notice the variety of animals surrounding Jesus as he sits alone on a rock. Some are creatures of the desert—echoes of Mark’s mention of “wild animals.” There are also birds: a white bird atop a rock on the left, recalling the dove at Jesus’ baptism; and a black eagle on the tallest rock, a traditional sign of strength and keen sight. A bear and a lion rest near Jesus. A fox and a stag appear to the left—the stag recalling the psalmist’s thirst for God, like a deer for running streams.

In this moment, Jesus is shown completely centered—undistracted by what surrounds him—as he prepares himself with prayer and fasting. The painting captures the beginning of the story rather than its end, perhaps inviting us to keep our focus on Jesus, the one who gives living water and strengthens us to resist temptation.

Look, too, at the angels in the sky on both sides of the painting. They suggest the nearness of heaven—present though often unseen. Those closer to Jesus hover as if waiting until the ordeal is over to minister to him.

Reflection Questions

As you listen to Scripture, what do you experience?

What does it seem that God is beginning to say to you in it?

What do you notice? Is there a word or phrase that jumps out to you?

As you look at the painting, what catches your eye? What begins to feel important to you?

Where is God leading you—to think, to feel, to encounter?

Where do the Scripture and the painting begin to speak to you together? What connections are you noticing?

What is God saying? Where is God leading?

What is the focus for you right now? Where might you place yourself within the scene—present with Jesus?

As you come toward the end of this prayer time, what has God been speaking through the Scripture and showing you through the artwork? Is the message clear, or are you still seeking clarity?

Closing

Gently gather your thoughts and feelings and offer them to God as prayer. Let this time of being with God be like a fresh mountain spring—refreshing and renewing you. May your day continue to be blessed with the knowledge of God’s presence in all that you do, and everywhere you go. Amen.