Moving toward God through intentional practice

The practices we keep in life shape and form us along the way. Being intentional about those practices allows us to hold agency over who we’re becoming. Without intentionality, we simply drift in whatever direction the winds of our world want to take us. We’re choosing to engage in spiritual practices that enable us to be and become the men, women and children God designed us to be. 

Spiritual practices are:

“Habits, practices, and experiences that are designed to develop, grow, and strengthen certain qualities of spirit - to build the “muscles” of one’s character and expand the breadth of one’s inner life. They structure the “workouts” which train the soul.” 

~ Richard Foster

Every other month, we’ll focus on one spiritual practice intended to shape and form us in God’s image …

Imaginative Prayer

March/April 2026

All over the scriptures, we’re encouraged to have and cultivate hope. Psalm 147 says, “... the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” God wants us to be full of hope.

How can hope work, without imagination? In order to have hope (e.g. hope for God to end all pain, suffering and injustice), we have to use the gift God has created and given humanity - our imagination. If we can imagine a future of God’s healing & justice or any other promise of God, we have something we can actually attach our hope to. Imagination is essential in cultivating hope.

Bringing our imaginations to scripture can not only solidify our hope, but it acknowledges that God is sovereign over everything, including our thoughts and emotions and it helps us to see Jesus more clearly - even to identify with Jesus and his original audience. 

For the lent season (and a bit beyond), our Vineyard Church family is practicing imaginative prayer, bringing our God-given imagination to the scriptures and using both to move closer to God. We would love for you to join us.

Practice 

  1. Choose a passage like Matthew 4.1-11, 26.69-75, 27.27-31, 27.45-50, Mark 6.1-6, 15.16-20, Luke 6.1-11, 7.1-10, John 6.48-70, 7.1-9, 8.48-59, 11.1-44 

  2. Prepare - Invite God to guide/speak through your imagination

  3. 1st reading - Read the passage once to get the general lay of the land

  4. 2nd reading - Read slowly, pausing as you go to imagine the scene with your five senses. Similar to a distinctly clear memory, where you recall the sights and sounds, the feel and even the smell of the scene as it progresses. If imagining with such detail is difficult for you… that’s okay. Do what you’re able. Pay particular attention to moments that stand out or pop for you. Notice where you are situated as the scene unfolds. 

Questions to consider as you “watch” the scene unfold:

  • What do the people look like? What kinds of sounds would you expect to hear in this environment? How does Jesus talk to and treat those he encounters? How do people react to Jesus’ presence, words & actions?

  1. Observe - What stood out to you as you walked through the passage? 

  2. Pray from that observation. What does God want you to know? What is He calling you to do in response?

  3. Gratitude - Close by expressing thanks to God for this time, reflecting on what just happened.

Tell your story - don’t forget to tell others about how it’s going.