Named

A voice came from heaven, “You are my... Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” 

      – Mark 1:11

About the Theme

Today we begin our exploration of the theme of Living Water by wading into the Jordan with Jesus and being named by God – Beloved. Like Jesus, our baptismal lives are not only a private relationship but a passionate public commitment to the way of God that seeks the reign of God “on earth, as it is in heaven.” As baptized disciples, we are stewards of the very element that is a sign and symbol of our vocation: water. We’ll ponder together what our relationship with God might mean for us as disciples and as stewards.

 

Reflecting on the Art

As you begin to plan worship, start by spending time with the image for this week. This section will guide you through a devotional process using the art and focus passage that can help to shape the way in which you will live out in worship the theme for the week. This resource includes a color copy of the image on the inside front cover. If you would like to view a larger copy of the image, use the Resource CD, a copy of the devotional insert, or the poster set.

Begin by resting in the presence of this week’s image and the theme, named. If you can, let the art speak to you rather than moving quickly to apply any specific meaning to the art. As your eyes move across the picture, what objects or symbols catch your attention? Where do the shapes or colors lead your eyes? Are there stories or memories – from your own life or from scripture – that seem to emerge from these images?

What part of this picture holds the most meaning for you? The hand reaching down to bless? The baptized one? The rainbow? The water?

Where might Jesus be in this painting? Is he outside the picture, the figure with the water dripping off his hand? Is he the figure with arms outstretched in the lower right? Perhaps for you he is represented by one of the other images or colors.

Consider the presence of water in this image. Water and promise connect us across generations to our faith ancestors. They hearken back to the rivers that watered the garden of Eden, to God commissioning Adam and Eve as stewards of all creation, and to  God’s covenant with Noah to renew the world and – again, to steward it.

Water and promise are also part of the covenant with the people of Israel who were delivered from slavery through the waters of the Red Sea. Each of these covenants describes God’s hope for us as a servant people and includes our promise to be wise and caring stewards.

Look for a moment at the figure wrapped in a robe (or swaddling clothes) in the lower right. Focus for a moment on the posture of that person. What does the gesture evoke for you? Do you see vulnerability? Delight? Does this gesture seem to be welcoming something? Or perhaps offering or revealing or sharing something? Is this a posture that feels natural to you? If so, what does it remind you of? If not, what emotions does it spark in you? You might want to consider how your comfort or discomfort with this posture affects the way you receive gifts and the way you offer them. Which is more natural for you – giving or receiving? Why do you think that is so?

Read Mark 1:1-11. This scripture passage is not only about what happens to Jesus in baptism, but about each one of us. Consider how the scripture, the art, and your own story intersect.