September-October 2025 - An Imperfect Ally

Visio divina* invites us to encounter the Divine through prayerful consideration of and interaction with an image. Follow the steps below to include a few moments of divine seeing in your devotional time.

Look at An Imperfect Ally on the cover of this issue of The Upper Room and let your eyes stay with the very first thing that you see. Keep your attention on that one part of the image that first catches your eye. Breathe slowly and deeply as you gaze at that part of the image for a minute or so.

Take time to gaze at every part of the image — the colors, the movement, the textures, the story being presented. Reflect on the image for a few moments. Consider the following questions:

• Where could you imagine yourself in this image? watching from the riverbank? floating in the basket with baby Moses? wading out into the water? 
• How does this image differ from or align with your visualization of this Bible story? 
• What new questions about the story of Moses does Garrity’s painting raise for you? 
• What prayers take form in you after reflecting on this image? Write them down or offer them to God.

*For more on visio divina, visit https://www.upperroom.org/resources/visio-divina

Cover photo courtesy of A Sanctified Art LLC. © Lisle Gwynn Garrity. Prints of cover art are available from sanctifiedart.org.