Where have you experienced God’s delight in you? In this episode, artist Sue Trowbridge shares her painting Sophia and her reflections on joy in creation. Together, we pray with her art and scripture, listening for the God who delights in creation—and in us.

Proverbs 8:30-31

Image: Sophia © Sue Trowbridge 2025

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

Opening

Find a comfortable posture. Let your shoulders soften.

Take a slow breath in. And let it go, unhurried.

In this moment, you do not need to prove anything or produce anything. Be still.

Reflection on Contemplative Prayer

Today, let us enter prayer through the gift of an image.

Artist Sue Trowbridge speaks of “painted prayers”—prayer that lasts as long as the painting lasts, a sustained turning of the heart toward God. As we grow older, we can become guarded and tired. Yet there is a childlike faith in us—still able to hope, still able to trust. As you gaze on the artwork, allow it to become a doorway. Picture Wisdom—Sophia—standing beside God in the work of creation, rejoicing in the world, and delighting in humankind.

Listen.

Scripture

Proverbs 8:30–31 (The Inclusive Bible)

“I was the skilled artisan standing next to the Almighty. I was God’s delight day after day, rejoicing at being in God’s presence continually, rejoicing in the whole world, and delighting in humankind.”

Holy Spirit, come near as we listen. Let Wisdom’s joy in creation awaken our own sense that God delights in the world—and delights in you.

Artwork for Prayerful Reflection

Sophia, by Sue Trowbridge

As you take in this painting, notice what rises in you without forcing it.

Here, Sophia is imagined as a figure blessing creation—while a weeping willow suggests the real burdens we carry: grief, illness, loss, poverty, and the long work of caring for one another. Swans speak of love, a dove with an olive branch speaks of peace, butterflies hint at the kingdom, and the lotus flower holds a story of culture and belonging.

Reflection Questions

As you gaze at Sophia, where do you notice God’s delight in creation?

What in this painting seems to be singing—quietly or boldly—in joy and praise?

Which detail draws your attention first, and what might it be offering you as a gift for prayer?

Where do you recognize the downward bend of the willow—places of struggle, grief, or fatigue that you carry today?

What signs of peace appear for you here—perhaps the dove, the olive branch, or a quiet stillness—and how do you long to receive that peace?

When you consider Sophia “rejoicing in the whole world,” what part of creation helps you remember God’s nearness?

If you were painting a prayer of what you hope for, what colors, creatures, or simple lines would you include?

How do you sense God delighting in you right now—and what words of blessing do you most need to hear?

What response is being formed in you—gratitude, surrender, courage, or a next faithful step?

In what way might God’s delight be calling you toward love in action today—toward someone you can serve, encourage, or accompany?

Closing

God of Wisdom, skilled artisan of all that is, thank you for delighting in creation and delighting in us. Where we are weary or grieving, hold us with your peace; where we are hopeful, strengthen our faith. Teach us to rejoice in your presence today, and to carry your delight into the world. Amen.