This weekly blog feature grew out of feedback from the Creative Arts Lenten Retreat. Helping people connect with God through creative arts is one of my passions, and I would love for you to join me each week in the suggested practices. I would also love to hear about prayer practices that are meaningful for you. (For more creative arts prayer practices, select “practices” from the Category menu at right.)

This week’s practice is a meditation on Psalm 139:1-18.  This was a surprisingly powerful exercise for me last night. I pray it will be meaningful for you as well. To begin, find a quiet space and gather your supplies:

Bible
Blank paper or sketchbook journal page
Black pen
Pencil
Ink Pad (optional)

To engage in the practice:

• Sit quietly for a few moments. Take several slow, deep breaths and ask God to make you aware of the Spirit’s presence with you.
• Read Psalm 139:1-18 slowly and prayerfully–aloud if possible.
• Lay one hand on the blank paper and trace around it with the black pen.
• Turn your hand over and examine the lines on your palm. Use the pencil to lightly sketch in your palm lines. (The purpose is not to get the lines perfect, but to pay close attention to this one small part of your amazing body.)
• As you trace your hand and sketch in your palm lines, know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Imagine the intimacy of God knitting you together in your mother’s womb. Realize that God knows the curve of each finger, each line on your palm.
• If you want, you can also use an ink pad and place your thumb and finger prints in the drawing. Look closely at your fingerprints–nobody else in the world has fingers exactly like yours.
• Now begin writing out Psalm 139, writing the words around the outside of your hand drawing–up the side of the hand, then around each finger and down the other side. When your text has gone all the way around the hand drawing, simply make a second row of text.
• You might want to write all of Psalm 139:1-18, or you might pick out the verses that speak most deeply to you in the moment. (A shortened version for writing out would be verses 1-7 and 13-16.)
• After you have written the scripture around your hand, simply place your hand inside the drawing. Allow God to speak to you. Accept the reality that God knows you deeply and loves you deeply.

(This is also my creation for day 17–my 25th–of the 30 Days of Creativity.)