VIVID ARTISTRY CO. — Vivid Artistry

Luke 7:37-38 Haiku Meditation

Pour out all you have

Alabaster jars broken

His presence is here

“When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” Luke 7: 36-38

For a seed to bloom it must become undone. Like the alabaster jar, it is broken open and poured out of the dark, quiet soil into the light as its act of worship. Lent reminds us of how Jesus spent time in solitude, growing more deeply rooted in God’s presence before his active ministry where he was eventually broken open and poured out as a sacrifice for all. Embodied worship, like embodied prayer from last week, simply means to incorporate the body. It’s allowing the body to bear witness to our spirit that our whole beings were made to worship the Lord. In the book of Genesis we see how the body and our spirit were made to be one. it tells us that “the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7 The word for “living being” there in Hebrew is:

Nephesh

a Biblical Hebrew term often translated as "soul," but it more accurately refers to a living, breathing, physical being or the whole person, including their desires and life force.

Old Testament Scholar Johannes Pedersen says,

“Soul and body are so intimately united that a distinction cannot be made between them. They are more than united: the body is the soul in its outward form.”

So what does it look like to embody worship? To pour our whole selves out? The art work is a painting of spikenard by MN artist, Natalie Salminen Rude. Spikenard in the Bible, is often viewed as a symbol of devotion, selfless love, and the preparation for spiritual transformation. The story of the woman breaking the alabaster jar and anointing Jesus' feet with spikenard and then drying her tears with her unruly hair she had let down (John 12:3) is a powerful example of being broken open and poured out in devotion to Jesus. She was undone and changed by Jesus’ presence and therefore she embodied her devotion by pouring out everything she had. Spikenard was a very expensive perfume, suggesting that she offered Jesus her most precious material gift. But if you know how the story goes, she was shamed and looked down upon for acting so uncivilized. She gave of her whole self no matter the cost. (Some interpret this anointing as a preparation for Jesus' burial, foreshadowing his death and resurrection. )

Jesus’ story tells us of so many things his body went through as he was prepared for ministry. Let’s go back to the wilderness. The story actually begins reminding us that Jesus has just ‘returned from the Jordan’ after being baptized and then is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness.

The Water: “the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove and a voice came from heaven: , “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22

The Wilderness: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert”Luke 4:1

His body passes through the waters where he is named and declared as God’s son before he is sent to be tempted into the wilderness. Jesus’ ministry on earth came through his body, from building tables to washing feet to healing the sick to dying on a cross. God chose to be revealed through human flesh.

This week I am focusing on embodied worship simply as a way to invite you to integrate this truth as you grow closer in your walk with God this Lenten season.The movement mediation/creative practice this week is designed to help embody specific scriptures. We are taking our cues from Psalm 103 which speaks all about embodying worship! As you watch the movement meditation and pray and read through the scriptures, try some of the movements yourself and see how the Spirit leads you. The video is taken from part of my Liturgy of the Hours embodied prayer series.

Scripture Meditation:

Psalm 103:1-5 “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Embodied Movement Meditation:

Guided Journal Prompts:

What words in Psalm 103 stand out to you?

Are they fast words or slow words?

If you had to name a place in your body those words would be, where would you say?

What do they look like in movement?

Music in video by Ty.Rex used with permission

Haiku by Libby Johnson

Dancer Libby Johnson

Art work by Natalie Salminen Rude

May not be used or duplicated without permission

LENT THROUGH EMBODIED WORSHIP