I was privileged this year to offer two reflections to the Lent Project run by Biola University's Center for Christianity, Culture, and the Arts (CCCA). It was a blessing to help with the Easter Day reflection, but my first choice was the last of the series. I most often allow the image and then the poetry to guide my selection, and the April 6th poem was the shepherd boy's song from Pilgrim's Progress Part II.
One of the beautiful things about the project is that the juxtaposition of image(s), poetry, and song alongside Scripture allows, in my view, the Spirit to draw out a reflection that is highly contextual to that curatorial configuration. The reflection doesn't stand up as a commentary on the Bible passage, for example, without the refraction of thought through the prism of the arts. At the same time, that high context also invites readers/ viewers/ hearers to discern their own response to Scripture and artefacts in conversation with the author of the devotional.
That, at least, is my hope as I read through Lent and Advent each year, and my trust as I write for the Projects.
Feel free to check out that devotional by clicking on the screenshot image below, and you can always subscribe to receive the Lent Project of 2024 later in the year.
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