Part 3: Creativity

Online Retreats

This is Part 3 of our Let the Thirsty Come retreat series, which highlights different aspects of spending extended quality time with God.

We have a beautiful and creative heavenly Father, and he has made us creative as a reflection of part of his character and image. In this month’s devotional, we explore the richness of the imagery God uses to speak to us in his Word, and we consider how to creatively engage all of ourselves in our responses of dependence, prayer, and praise.

Optional Reflection Questions:

  • What image or metaphor in Scripture has been especially meaningful to you?
    • Why has it been a favorite?
    • What helped you engage with and savor it?
  • Have you received a meaningful piece of art from a young child? What made it meaningful?
  • How would you help or encourage a young child who wanted to make something for their parent or friend?
  • How do these reflections speak into our creative engagement with our Heavenly Father?

Retreat Activities

This retreat consists of three sections: listening to our creative God, responding with creativity, and rejoicing in God’s beauty. For the second section, we provide several different options – there are possibilities no matter your level of creative or artistic ability.

In each section, we include some choices for a main activity, as well as some optional activities to help you rest and transition. Aim for each section to take you around 30 to 60 minutes, but don’t be concerned if a section takes slightly longer or shorter to complete. If you plan to do this retreat in a single block of 2 to 3 hours, make sure you are including sufficient opportunities for breaks and rest.

Listening to our Creative God

The purpose of this section is to meditate on Scripture using activities that help us engage with and more fully appreciate the rich imagery God uses in his Word.

Transition Activity

Sing a couple songs of praise – what songs help your heart and mind to rejoice in the beauty of God? Grab a hymnal, a songbook, or print out some lyrics and sing a few songs to begin your time of retreat. If there is a space outside or in nature that you can go to and feel comfortable singing, we would encourage you to do this. End with a brief prayer committing your time of retreat to God.

Main Activity (choose 1)

Living Parables – in this activity you will need to match your location or what is around you with the Scripture you are meditating on. For example, if you are meditating on the image of a tree planted by water in Jeremiah 17:5-8, you would go outside, and sit near a tree planted by a stream of water. The goal is to use what you are seeing or interacting with in order to help you meditate on the imagery of the Scripture passage.

Imagining with a Text – Meditation on some passages may be significantly helped by picturing in our minds the imagery or scene that God is describing in his Word.

Possible Scriptures for meditation: each of the above meditation activities include possible Scriptures that could be used for the activity.

Responding with Creativity

Transition Activity

Ideas for Rest – take a few minute’s break before starting the next main activity.

Main Activity

Interacting with the Psalms – the purpose of this activity is to respond in prayer after your time of meditating on Scripture. Since you will be engaging in some type of artistic activity for this time, it would be helpful to gather a few supplies in advance. Look at the activity instructions for some of the different possibilities. Since you just finished a time of Scripture meditation, you can skip the first step in this activity, “Connect with God’s Word.”

Rejoicing in God’s beauty

The purpose of this section is to slow down and simply enjoy and rejoice in the goodness and beauty of God. Even if you were dealing with heavy themes for your time of Scripture meditation and creative response, seek to come back and rest in the reality that you have an abundantly good God and Father.

Transition Activity (choose 1)

Prayer/liturgy – slowly read and pray through one of the following:

Ideas for Rest – take a few minutes to take a break before starting the next main activity.

Main Activity (choose any that you would like)

Rejoicing in a beautiful Creator – go to a place you enjoy (park, garden, trail, forest, etc.) that helps you see the beauty of God’s creation. Sit in a comfortable spot or go for a walk with your heart set on the Lord, and a desire to see the beauty of the things that he has made. As you sit or walk, occasionally pray, thanking God for what you hear, see, smell, feel, etc. You may find it helpful to bring along with you a short passage of Scripture that moves your heart to praise, or lyrics to a favorite song.

Singing God’s praise – grab the lyrics to some of your favorite songs and find a comfortable spot where you can sit or walk and sing. If you play an instrument, feel free to use this as a part of your time of praise.

Read of your glorious Lord – read a chapter from a devotional book that helps you to see the goodness of God and stand in awe. After reading, spend some time in prayer or in journaling your response. Possible devotional chapter: The Exchanged Life – a letter by Hudson Taylor to his sister

Closing activity (optional)

Closing Reflection and Prayer – use this activity to reflect over your time of spiritual retreat and close in prayer.

Example Retreats

These activities can be done in two short, 1-hour retreats, or as a single 2- to 3-hour retreat. All of the following are just suggestions – change them and customize them with activities you find most helpful.

Short Retreat, Part 1

Short Retreat, Part 2

  • Prayers of the Saints – Following Hard after God
  • Devotional chapter
  • Rejoicing in a beautiful Creator (taking a short passage of Scripture with you, see above)
  • Close in song

Two- to Three-Hour Retreat

Tips and Reminders

Key Attitude – Unplug

We live in a very distracting world, and it can be difficult for us to give ourselves wholly to one pursuit without interruption. In order to spend rich time with our Father, seek to make space and remove distractions. Set aside a period of time where you can lay everything else down. Turn off your phone, computer, or any other device that might distract (or better yet, leave them at home). I often get away from home so that I am not distracted by thoughts of all the household tasks that need to be done. Make space and unplug so that you can do one thing well — communing with your God, your good Father, your Savior.

You Don’t Need to Be an Artist

Some people get very anxious about the possibility of doing something creative or artistic in their time of spiritual retreat. It is vital in this to return to the heart of our Father God. Don’t let your level of artistic, musical, or physical ability be a barrier to engaging with God creatively. God does not value our worship or our offering based on the quality of the art. He cares about the heart of the artist. The goal is full engagement with God, not creating a masterpiece. Lay aside expectations concerning what the end product might look like, and focus back on the reality that God is a good Father who delights when his kids seek to engage wholeheartedly with him.

Other Retreat Resources

Liturgy/prayer of the month:

Devotional chapters:

The Exchanged Life – a letter by Hudson Taylor to his sister

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