Saturday, March 12, 2011
Linear perfection
I recently constructed an art piece for a church art show. It consists of nine 8x10 prints of various words written in the sand. The calligraphy flows with the curve of the earth with tremendous beauty. Each print is a Biblical word, except for the middle picture, which is a heart made out of beach rocks.
It looks pretty great, but the prints did not line up into perfect ninety degree angles as I'd hoped. And by the time the hot glue dried, it became almost impossible to rotate them even a tenth of one degree. So, I had to accept it the way it was.
After the show, I returned home and hung the canvas frame up on my kitchen wall. As I transfixed my gaze upon its imperfections, I tried to be at peace with what I'd made. I stared. I wrestled. I prayed. I wanted God to reveal something to me about the piece that He'd allowed me to construct for His glory.
And then it hit me. My life is like this oceanic artwork. Even though I want all of life's details to line up to linear perfection here on earth, they simply can NOT. And this really comes down to an issue of control. I want what I want and I want it now.
I want healing for past hurts TODAY! I want a perfect marriage TODAY! I want my kids' hearts to be shaped into God's image and His obedience TODAY! I desire success for my artistic dreams TODAY! I want patience and love and hope and peace TODAY!
And yet, God has something else. He longs for us to "Be still and know that (He) is God" (Psalm 46:10). The words that I wrote in the sand come to fruition when and only when they are centered around God's heart: hope, love, kindness, peace, gentleness, patience, joy, and self control.
Similarly, our own pursuits and goals manifest harmony when anchored to His heart as well. Maybe your career oscillates between success and failure. Or perhaps you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel through a particular emotional issue.
It could be that your marriage is about to tank and you're terrified about the unknown. Maybe you face a problematic health issue or a devastating financial dilemma. Perhaps you've just lost your faith in God and in people. You want to believe, but you simply can not.
As Christians, we must sprint into God's heart. He wants us to launch in with everything we've got. And He will be there to catch us, with His open arms of love. When we submit it all to Him, we will find the answers. And when we surrender completely to His will, we will be transformed along the way.
But IT DOESN'T MEAN that everything will line up perfectly as a result. God is not a genie in a bottle. He does not answer to our beck and call. He gives us His good gifts based on His omniscient time-line. And while we wait, He always hears, always loves, and patiently guides us along the journey.
So if your pictures don't line up to linear perfection, that's okay. None of ours do. But there's a Plan B scenario on the way. Or there's a lemon just waiting to be turned into the Lord's lemonade. Just stay on the course and try to see the big picture. God is the Master Artist and He's got your life designed with a purpose.
Keeping it real! Share your thoughts here. We'd love to hear from you!
It looks pretty great, but the prints did not line up into perfect ninety degree angles as I'd hoped. And by the time the hot glue dried, it became almost impossible to rotate them even a tenth of one degree. So, I had to accept it the way it was.
After the show, I returned home and hung the canvas frame up on my kitchen wall. As I transfixed my gaze upon its imperfections, I tried to be at peace with what I'd made. I stared. I wrestled. I prayed. I wanted God to reveal something to me about the piece that He'd allowed me to construct for His glory.
And then it hit me. My life is like this oceanic artwork. Even though I want all of life's details to line up to linear perfection here on earth, they simply can NOT. And this really comes down to an issue of control. I want what I want and I want it now.
I want healing for past hurts TODAY! I want a perfect marriage TODAY! I want my kids' hearts to be shaped into God's image and His obedience TODAY! I desire success for my artistic dreams TODAY! I want patience and love and hope and peace TODAY!
And yet, God has something else. He longs for us to "Be still and know that (He) is God" (Psalm 46:10). The words that I wrote in the sand come to fruition when and only when they are centered around God's heart: hope, love, kindness, peace, gentleness, patience, joy, and self control.
Similarly, our own pursuits and goals manifest harmony when anchored to His heart as well. Maybe your career oscillates between success and failure. Or perhaps you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel through a particular emotional issue.
It could be that your marriage is about to tank and you're terrified about the unknown. Maybe you face a problematic health issue or a devastating financial dilemma. Perhaps you've just lost your faith in God and in people. You want to believe, but you simply can not.
As Christians, we must sprint into God's heart. He wants us to launch in with everything we've got. And He will be there to catch us, with His open arms of love. When we submit it all to Him, we will find the answers. And when we surrender completely to His will, we will be transformed along the way.
But IT DOESN'T MEAN that everything will line up perfectly as a result. God is not a genie in a bottle. He does not answer to our beck and call. He gives us His good gifts based on His omniscient time-line. And while we wait, He always hears, always loves, and patiently guides us along the journey.
So if your pictures don't line up to linear perfection, that's okay. None of ours do. But there's a Plan B scenario on the way. Or there's a lemon just waiting to be turned into the Lord's lemonade. Just stay on the course and try to see the big picture. God is the Master Artist and He's got your life designed with a purpose.
Keeping it real! Share your thoughts here. We'd love to hear from you!
