I love art in all its forms! I love looking at it, listening to it, reading it, smelling it, tasting it – especially tasting it! Those who create beauty are heroes. They add so much richness to our lives. We search for words and ways to express our gratitude for what they do. But some artists remain unaware of their contribution to our lives, to the culture, to the world. They simply create because they must, not for acclaim or recognition, remaining unsung heroes.
I’ve come to see that God’s surprising plan was that we would all be His artists. “We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us.” Ephesians 2:10, TPT. He intends that we participate in filling the earth with the glory (beauty?) of God just as the waters cover the seas. Who knew? I’ve believed, for many years, that my ‘artistry’ was limited to wonky stick figures. More and more, though, I’m coming to understand how restrictive that definition was. I think we all, myself not the least, have shame that we carry which aims to lock that definition firmly in place (more good stuff on this tomorrow).
Several of us have recently returned from the Vineyard US National Conference where the theme was, ‘Making All Things New’. I love the first word: making – the Imperfect Tense, describing something that is unfinished. This recreative work is ongoing. It’s happening today. It won’t stop. It is God’s plan for all His children. As I looked around the Spillman Auditorium at the conference, I saw close to 2,000 ‘works of art’ being made, being transformed, being made to come more boldly alive, being a bit more bravely artistic, being readied to add more of God’s brightness and color to the world. And all this, through ‘imperfect’ vessels, the likes of us! “I’m fully convinced that the One who began this glorious work in [us] will faithfully continue the process of maturing [us] and will put his finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6, TPT. See all you beautiful artists tomorrow, 10 AM, 4 PM. PD
