WiseWords – Page 9

A Life of Art

Your life without a computer: what does it look like?

Art comes in various forms.

I am not an expert on art, I am not an expert on anything except my own life.

With its many twists and turns, life they say imitates art but in reality, art imitates life.

The greatest Artist I know is an expert on sunsets and sunrises.

His canvas? The whole of creation.

And that includes you and me.

Have you ever considered yourself a canvas? If you haven’t until today, this is something true about you: you are God’s masterpiece.

Yes, you are.

Before you were even a tiny dot in your mother’s womb, He already knew you.

He has determined the dates of your birth and death and where you’ll live.

He knows exactly how many strands of hair are on your head. He doesn’t mind what style or color you flaunt it with, or if you shed it all. He loves you.

He created you and I to create.

And to create, I must.

I build as I become.

I write even when He’s already written all there is I need to learn.

Without AI or a computer, perhaps my life would be much slower. Quieter.

I wouldn’t be able to go a million miles beyond the confines of my home and perhaps some nearby beaches.

I’ll be practicing more of calligraphy and my native alphabet.

I’ll probably have more time cultivating a garden or perusing books, smelling its pages, each turn like music to my ears while my mind watches the text come alive.

Perhaps I’ll be at the shoreline each day and never miss a single sunrise and sunset for the rest of my days.

I can paint alone or let the Master paint on me. Let Him color me with His love.

And as He colors me, I will become colorblind to mankind’s differences and marvel at the one thing that connects us all.

It isn’t a rainbow. It isn’t a microchip. It isn’t a digital imprint.

It’s the blood He shed thousands of years ago, for you and I, and even for those who are yet to be born.

Revival is tied to a Person.

The psalmist invites those who fear the LORD, those who are afraid and oppressed, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)

While a church community can be good and helpful, the Person of the Triune God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – cannot be grasped fully with the intellect nor in a crowd but embraced by the soul in solitude.

As I get acquainted with my Almighty Creator, I taste and see His goodness. I learn to accept myself (and others) as “fearfully and wonderfully made” by Him, equally and unconditionally loved.

The journey doesn’t stop there. Yes, each human being is created in the image and likeness of God, but part of the reality, as the Pharisees say, is that we are all “steeped in sin at birth.” It is humbling.

Children have a natural bent towards sin. We all sin, naturally. As I observe my 4 year-old daily, his natural bent becomes more evident.

“Even a child is known by his behavior. His actions show if he is innocent and good.” Proverbs 20:11 ICB

Kids are like sponges, true. They easily absorb what they are exposed to, yes. Yet no matter how loving and peaceful the environment is, I need to recognize as a grown-up that kids are also naturally sinful beings.

This allows me to see each kid thru the lens of compassion: they, too, need someone not only to tell them but to let them tangibly experience Jesus’ love. They, too, need to know that forgiveness is available and that nobody is too young (or too old) to be “born again.”

We are all sinful human beings. We all sin and not one of us can meet God’s righteous standards.

As I journey from mere knowledge about God the Creator towards more intimacy with Him as my Heavenly Father, I see my need for a Savior to rescue me from the direness of sin, or even save me from myself. God is Holy, I am not.

That’s where I behold Jesus. Or the hem of His garment. Or the foot of His cross.

Blessed is the human being who beholds Christ in good fortune… but I submit to you, dear reader, the human being who, in desperation, is embraced by Mercy, is more likely to remain loyal to Christ in and through any misfortune.

Mercy was there when Stephen was being stoned to his death, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Mercy was there when Jesus hung on the cross and He prayed, still, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

As I behold Jesus, He lavishes His mercy on me. As I behold His purity, I cry out all the more against my sin, my ego, my rights, and I am brought to repentance. I weep and wail for myself and on behalf of those who are yet to behold Him.

There is a certain chaos to quietness. I can be quiet but in a state of unrest. That unrest causes me to ask, to seek, to knock, that I may have “the peace that surpasses all understanding.”

Apart from Christ’s shed blood, death and resurrection, nobody qualifies entry to Heaven. I realize that free will, positive-thinking or philosophy can not bring that peace.

In John 14:15-21, Jesus speaks:

“If you love me, you will do the things I command. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper. He will give you this Helper to be with you forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him. He lives with you and He will be in you.

“I will not leave you all alone like orphans. I will come back to you. In a little while the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live, too. On that day you will know that I am in my Father. You will know that you are in me and I am in you. He who knows my commands and obeys them is the one who loves me. And my Father will love him who loves me. I will love him and will show myself to him.” John 14:15‭-‬21 ICB

I hear my little homeschooler sing, enunciating the P, “You’ll receive Power / when the Holy SPirit / has come uPon you / you’ll be My witnesses…”

The Holy Spirit is a Person, and He comes in Jesus’ name. Apart from Christ, we cannot behold His Spirit. Follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit is in you and with you. Love Him. Behold Him. Let Him nourish and revive your soul.

R is for Revival

I speak to the tired one who’s putting it all together for her King.

The King of kings has got this and His strength is perfected in your weakness! Strengthen your feeble knees, make level paths for your feet and His light will shine on you.

Shun the lies of the enemy against your divine birthright. YOU are a princess, you are a warrior and you are His! No weapon formed against you shall stand. His purpose and glory will prevail over you, for you and not against you.

Repent – turn away – from the sins that chain you down! Confess your sins to the LORD and He will forgive you. He is ready to forgive you. He took every scourge, He shed His blood, He was nailed on the Cross and He rose again for you!

Renew your mind, brave one! Your voice may have been suppressed but the time has come for you to roar once more, to rise above the ashes of the past laden with chaos, confusion, sickness, loneliness, hopelessness and despair!

You are not defeated! Victory is yours! YESHUA has prevailed! His heel may have been bruised at the Cross but His death and resurrection has crushed the serpent’s head!

This is no accident. He invites you —

‭‭“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
Isaiah 55:1-2 BSB

You don’t want to miss Him. Your soul needs Him. Your spirit longs for His Spirit. Come to Him. Come alive once more.