Holy Imagination (Part 6)

When we respond to our world from a re-presentation of reality anchored in our communion with God we are living with a 'holy imagination.' In other words, we perceive our world from the perspective of our lives being lived in Christ. It takes a life devoted to the contemplative reading of Scripture to absorb the images of being in Christ deeply into the soul. Let me (Rich) give you a simple illustration of what I mean. Over the years and again recently I have been brought back to the account of Jesus’ resurrection in Matthew’s gospel. There are these words, “There was a violent earthquake, for the angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone, and sat on it” (Matt. 28:2). I have been captivated by the angel sitting on the stone. All the power of hell and death, all the power of scheming political and religious leaders are symbolized for me in that stone. That stone was the seal of death.  And now the angel is calmly sitting on it. The stone of death is now, by God's power, a seat of repose. The convoluted strategies of generational sin, the relentless power of fear marching toward an inevitable death, all the demonic power that hell could muster are pictured there. And there the angel sits in repose.I come to this angel often. To sit there with him on the stone. To remind myself this is my truest reality--fear vanquished, death conquered, sin emptied, demonic agendas all defeated. I need this image. It helps me know what is true. I can think abstractly about all matters of our Lord’s atonement and so can you. But at a deeper level in my soul I need the angel sitting on the stone. I need the image. In the heat of the battle I don’t think so clearly and some times my anger can get the best of me. I need the angel on the stone. This image grounds me. It is a reference point telling me who I am, where I am, and what I am to be. It is a place where we may all rest in quiet!What images from God's word are you absorbing in your soul? How are you developing a Holy Imagination?