A Warning About Imagination

In our small group Bible study we recently took a look at the Apostle encouraging young Pastor Timothy to lead his congregation in prayer (1 Timothy 2:1-7). That opened a lively conversation among us about for what and how we should be praying. It is the how that concerns me in this post. We're accustomed to praying by thinking and speaking words, but what about what these days is called visualization? Jon Trott (Visualization And Imaging) writes,

. . . imaging and visualization are increasingly appearing as Christian meditation, "mind-stretchers," or a consciousness awakening experience in Christian workshops, and you'd better believe that visualization as a cultivated exercise comes with all sorts of metaphysical and spiritual baggage in tow."

What exactly are we talking about here?  Here's how Sandra M. Levy (Imagination and the Journey of Faith) describes the human capacity to imagine:

By imagination I do not mean what is commonly assumed by the term - that is, mere products of fancy without any status in reality (i.e., "It's only in your imagination, dear!"). Nor am I using the term in the limited sense of images, dreams, or "pictures" held in the mind. What I mean by imagination here is the inherent human power to transcend the concrete, to create new images or ideas that can open up new possibility and promise - the not yet of a future we can envision, the re-valuing of a remembered past. Ultimately what I mean by imagination is that human capacity to receive and respond to God's revelation in our everyday lives. I believe that it is this human capacity which plays a key role in faith development.

 Before we get too deeply involved in what various authors are saying about this kind of prayer, both pro and con, it is important that we take a good look at what God says in His Word.

Way back, before the great Flood, we read that the LORD God was deeply troubled by man's use of this capacity.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. - Gen 6:5 KJV

. . . every imagination of the thoughts of his heart —that's the way several versions translate the Hebrew word yetser. The basic meaning of the root verb is "to form, frame or fashion." In a number of passages it is parallel to bara (create) and asa (make).

Sometimes the verb describes what a man does.

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? - Isa 29:16 KJV

Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing? - Isa 44:10 KJV 

What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? - Hab 2:18 KJV

At other times the verb points to God's activity. He frames and devises things in His mind. He plans what He does. For example, He fashions and forms us for His purposes from the moment of our conception in our mothers' wombs.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance (golem); in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. - Psa 139:16 ESV

Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: 'Thus says the LORD, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.' - Jer 18:11 ESV

Back to Sandra Levy's definition of imagination:

"the inherent human power to transcend the concrete, to create new images or ideas that can open up new possibility and promise - the not yet of a future we can envision, the re-valuing of a remembered past."

New images, ideas, plans, possibilities, promises, not-yet futures, re-valued pasts, moving beyond, re-framing, re-envisioning . . . Exciting. Motivating. Energizing.

But!

This inherent human power, this image of God within us, this imago Dei, this way of thinking forward into the future, this capacity that humans alone have, this ability that God has given to us, this wondrous power—its corrupted! It stinks! It is decayed!

After the great Flood only Noah and his family remained. Everyone else was gone, destroyed by the waters. Yet the seed of this corruption remained even in faithful Noah and his sons. After the beasts, birds and creeping things left the ark, Noah built an altar and sacrificed clean beasts and birds on it.

And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination (yetser) of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. - Gen 8:21 KJV

Noah and his family passed on this corrupted yetser. We still have it in one form or another, leader and laborer, artist and artisan, powerful or poor—all of us. But whatever the shape or form of this capacity within us, it remains corrupted, malignant, wicked and evil from childhood. Out of this power come the idols, the false gods, those images, ideas and ideologies we worship rather than the LORD God. This is why David prayed, using the bara verb, the one parallel to yetser, in his prayer. He had been carried away by his imagination as he gazed upon the beautiful, attractive and seductive Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12). His imagination led him to adultery, murder and lies. Looking back he saw what had happened in his heart, his evil heart. And he prayed, as must we all—daily.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. - Psa 51:10 KJV

Only the LORD God can answer this prayer. Only as we are renewed in spirit and heart, will we be able to turn loose this wondrous capacity, this inherent human power to transcend the concrete and create new images and ideas in our hearts, only then may we confidently dream and plan for the future. Only then will we know how to pray.

God grant it for Jesus' sake.

The Blessed 40 Days of Lent

In this next week millions of Christians will begin their 40-day journey toward the celebration of the first and greatest of the Christian festivals, the Feast of the Resurrection. This Feast is so important because, as St. Paul wrote, "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." He goes on to point out that he is a false prophet if this is not so. If there is no such thing as a raising of our bodies from death and the grave, we are still guilty as sinners who must answer to God. And those who have died before us have most certainly perished and gone to hell. What pitiful wretches we are. Everything about life is therefore without meaning and the only thing left is to grab as much of life's treasures and pleasures as you can before you die. (1 Corinthians 15:14-19; Ecclesiastes 6:1-12).

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead. That is both our faith and the most irrefutable fact of human history. We challenge anyone, any where to prove otherwise. And we look forward with great eagerness to that day when death, the final enemy, will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:20-26).

In preparation for this celebration the Church has encouraged believers from the beginning of the Christian era to set aside 40 days to meditate upon God's Word, pray and fast. Why 40 days? 40 is the number closely connected with cleansing, penitence and preparation for new beginnings. Consider the following:

• When the Lord saw that all mankind had rejected Him, He determined to destroy them all with a great flood. Noah and his family and the animals floated safely upon the waters in the Ark as it rained upon the earth 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). The flood continued for another 150 days before the Ark settled on the mountains of Ararat. On the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. Noah then waited another 40 days before opening a window in the Ark (Genesis 8:6). 
• After Moses led the Children of Israel out of bondage and slavery in Egypt and across the Red Sea, they came to Mount Sinai. The LORD then called Moses up to the mountain and spoke with him for 40 days and nights, giving him instructions about the Tabernacle and its furnishings, the priests and the Sabbath (Exodus 24:12-18). 
• While on the mountain, large numbers of the Israelites gave up their trust in the LORD and in Moses. They forced Moses' brother Aaron to create a golden calf, most likely the Egyptian goddess Hathor, who was represented as a holy cow and considered the goddess of love, sex, fertility, beauty and motherhood. They worshipped this goddess with sacrifices, feasting, music and ribald lust. When Moses came down from the mountain he was filled with anger and called upon the Levites to slaughter the revelers. Some 3,000 died that day. Then Moses returned to the mountain for 40 days, to fast and to plead for the people, fearing especially that the LORD would destroy them all (Exodus 32:1-35). 
• Later Moses sent spies from all the tribes to scout out the promised land for 40 days. This was the land they all longed for. This was the land they hoped to possess (Numbers 13:17-25). 
• Because they rejected the opportunity given to them to take the promised land, the LORD sent the Israelites back into the wilderness for 40 years, one year for each of the 40 days they had explored the land (Numbers 14:33-34). 
• Many years later, the prophet Elijah fled to the wilderness of Sinai after challenging and slaughtering the prophets of the god Baal. Strengthened by an angelic meal, he went on for 40 days to Mount Horeb where he heard anew the voice of the LORD (1 Kings 19:1-18). 
• In perfect obedience to His Father and ours the LORD Jesus, led by the Spirit, went for 40 days into the wilderness to fast and pray. At the end of His fast He hungered and was tempted by Satan to disobey His Father (Matthew 4:1-11). 

 So we follow these great examples and set aside 40 days to ponder our lives here upon this earth, to remember that we also are disobedient sinners and deserve nothing less than the eternal judgment of God. But we also rejoice that our LORD Jesus endured all this for us and lived for us that perfect life of obedience, finally offering up that most precious life for us all and rising again on the third day.

I'll say more about the temptations our LORD endured for us while in the wilderness in the days ahead.