December Practice: The Triple Colloquy
Let's make space to encounter each member of the Trinity....
There’s a moment from last year’s Advent study that I can pinpoint as the beginning of a shift in the way I interacted with God.
I mentioned in my Advent Resources post that last year my church worked through the book Honest Advent.
Each day’s reading had a piece of artwork to consider and I began to notice that the artist, Scott Erickson, seemed to use the color gold to indicate the presence of God or the kingdom.
That started the process of me noticing where God was present in the images and the scripture. But then, as I was processing through one of the scriptures and pieces of art with a small group of friends, Selin pointed something out that has shifted something for me in the way that I engage scripture and encounter God.
We were reading in Luke, where Gabriel first encountered Mary and told her that she would give birth to Jesus. Selin noticed that in that moment, all three members of the Trinity were represented. Gabriel told Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, that the power of the most High God would overshadow her, and of course, there was Jesus, in her womb. The Trinity all present at the same time.
And then, that kept happening. As time went on and I continued to read scripture, I kept noticing that all three members of the Trinity were there. Present together. At Creation. At Jesus's baptism. Over and over, there they were. In communion with each other.
That may not seem earth shattering, but for me it was in a way. I began to realize that I had an incomplete understanding of the Trinity. I had believed that God took on different forms perhaps depending on what I needed or the moment called for, but I had spent very little time considering them as separate people in relationship with each other. And that I could be in relationship with them individually.
That’s quite a backstory, but it leads into today’s practice, the Triple Colloquy.
Colloquy is just a fancy word for conversation. And triple means three.
A Triple Colloquy is basically just a conversation with each member of the Trinity. Father, Son, Spirit.
You can have this conversation anytime, but I like to either bring a specific situation I’m processing through or do it after I’ve read a passage of scripture that I want to explore a bit more.
Basically, you bring the situation or question you have or what you’re wondering about in the text you just read to the presence of God, and you have a conversation. First with the Father. Then with Jesus. Then with the Holy Spirit. Take your time with all three prayers. You talk and you listen. You wonder and ask questions. You listen some more.
It’s a great way to grow in intimacy and explore your relationship with each person of the Trinity.
So, when will you make space in your schedule to have a Triple Colloquy? What is God inviting you to regarding this practice? Ask Him. Then think about giving it a try 😊
And may you encounter the God who loves you as you make space in your schedule and your soul.
So helpful to do this, Erin... thank you!