“Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.” Mark 6:31
Lent is a season of withdrawing from the noise and finding refuge in God’s presence, It is not a religious requirement but rather a resetting of our daily rhythms to align our lives and hearts to beat more closely in time with God’s. It’s a season of being mindful about taking refuge in the stillness of his presence. Lent is intended to interrupt our self-focused habits and is often paired with fasting or giving up something. It’s a time of repentance of the ways we’ve allowed our priorities to take precedence over God’s will for us. We’ve been lulled to sleep by the industrialized, efficiency driven algorithms of the world. When we disrupt these numbing algorithms we’ve fallen prey to, like new growth emerging in spring, our senses awaken and come alive to the wonder filled rhythms of the One leading us closer to Him. Lent translates to mean “spring time.” Over the next 6 weeks, we will meditate on rhythms of restoration by contemplating the parallel metaphors of a garden emerging from winter and being prepared for spring. Through poetry, movement meditation, prayerful prompts, and imagery, we will retreat into a time of rest and renewal.
Libby John is an artist partner with Art House North and is the director of Vivid Artistry and host of the Art and Faith Podcast. Subscribe to her weekly devotionals HERE.