Contemplative Spirit

A Ministry of Spiritual Direction, Supervision & Guided Retreats

The Color Prayer

 Using color to pray

Color Prayer Station (~15 minutes)

Inspiration for this Prayer Station is “How can we pray, when we don’t have the words?”

We have some materials on the table to help us pray without words.  (materials are listed below)

 

A Little Bit About Color in the Bible

 

Color is used over and over in the bible

  • In Psalms (23:2) it says, “He lets me rest in fields of green grass.” [i] GNT
  • In the Gospel of Luke, while Jesus was praying…”his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white.” (Luke 9:29) GNT
  • In Revelations (21:21), the streets of heaven are described as “pure gold”. GNT

My favorite example of color in the bible is from Noah & the Ark:

            Have someone read Genesis 9:12-15

  • The rainbow of the bible
    • Reminds us of God’s covenant with us
      • God put down his “bow” in the clouds
        • Symbolic for a bow & arrow
          • People living during the time of this scripture writing would have a strong connection with the idea of “laying down a bow”
          • Represents an act of peace
        • One of the most spectacular examples of color in nature
        • Rainbows cause us to pause, remind us of God’s promise
          • We often take a picture, because they don’t happen everyday
  • Technical description of light & color
    • White Light
      • Sir Isaac Newton conducted his experiments of light using prisms & mirrors. He discovered when he held a prism of glass in the path of a beam of light, that the light could be separated into the colors of the rainbow. ii
      • Conversely all of those brilliant colors of the rainbow, can also combine and make up that bright white light

  • How Rainbows Form
    • Water droplets are present in the sky
    • Light shines through the droplets
      • Visible light is broken into individual wavelengths of color
      • Color that was once invisible can now be seen
  • My spiritual interpretation
    • The water droplets sprinkled in the sky are like God lifting a veil from our eyes
      • Allows us to see the splendor of color that’s already there, but invisible to us
    • White also symbolizes the complete & perfect nature of God’s righteousness and mercy
      • Jesus spoke to them again saying, “I am the light of the world…Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”(John 8:12 GNT)
      • Jesus is that white light…but he says that we, as his followers, have that light too. In Matthew 5:14 GNT he tells us, “You are like light for the whole world.”
        • It’s hard to imagine…but if we have that light inside us…we have all of those brilliant colors of the rainbow too.

 

Praying with Color:

 

Materials: paper, colored pencils, crayons & markers

 

Description:

  • We are going to pray using color.
  • I will prompt you with something or someone to pray for.
  • Select a color to represent that person or thing.
  • Draw a doodle, a picture, a name, a word–whatever you wish to represent your prayer.
  • Note…this is your prayer and will not be seen or read by anyone else. Feel free to take it home with you.

 

Prayer Activity:

Note to Prayer Leader–Count to 30 SLOWLY between each prayer prompt below. Give additional time as needed.

  • Select a color to represent something you are thankful for. Draw something to display your thankfulness to God with that color.
  • Do you know someone that is sick? What color represents this person? Please pray now for that person.
  • Select a color for someone who has died. Draw something for that person and their loved ones.
  • Think of a color for someone you love. Draw a prayer for them.
  • Think of your closest friend. What color represents your friend? Jot down a prayer for them.
  • “Enemy” is a strong word. But we all have someone in our life that upsets us and causes us stress. Think of a color for that person. This part may be difficult, but I ask you to say a prayer for them now.
  • Do you have a problem that needs solving? What color represents your problem? Draw a prayer that asks God to help you focus on the solution to your problem.
  • Think of a person in your life who could use a prayer. Select a color for that person. Doodle a prayer for them. Or write their name. Or whatever you wish.
  • Select a color that represents your family! Say a beautiful prayer for your family.
  • Last, but not least…what color represents YOU? Pick a color and pray for yourself, asking God for what you need. What do you need today?

 

 

Closing for Color Prayer:

 

God of Light,

 

Thank you for this time together. Remind us to always shine our light, that’s made up of many beautiful colors. Help us to never stop being amazed by what you can do in our lives. Look kindly upon our prayers of color and the intentions they represent.

 

We make this prayer through Christ, your son.

Amen

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i GNT Holy Bible, Good News Translation, American Bible Society, New York, NY. 1992

 

ii Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Color Theory. http://web.mit.edu/22.51/www/Extras/color_theory/color.html. Accessed January 11, 2017.