1. Prepare for the imaginative exercise by spending a few minutes calming yourself with silence and deep breathing.
  2. When ready, read the passage one time through to get the full picture of what’s happening. Allow yourself to notice the little details included in the text.

12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

  1. Now, sit back and close your eyes. Think through the story you just read. Feel free to glance down and slowly make your way through the text. Allow images to form in your imagination as you picture the scene.
    1. Imagine how you first heard the prophecy of Isaiah.
    2. Imagine Jesus’ preaching. What happens when you hear Jesus saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”?
    3. Imagine Jesus walking by the sea. What happens when Jesus says, “Follow me”?
  2. Spend a few more minutes paying attention to what else you see in the scene. Where are you? What do you hear? What do you feel?
  3. Close your time by talking with Jesus about how this scene made you feel. Tell him how you responded when he said, “repent” and when he said, “follow me.”

By Yvonne Biel 

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