ENCAUSTIC -An ode to my sister; the artist. For the celebration of her 34th year of life.

It is funny how things in life artistically collide and life seems to play out like paint upon a canvas. At times things don’t always make sense, but then all of a sudden a splashing and whirlwind of colors adds chaos for a moment, and sense in the end. It’s like the shifting of nothingness, void, and silence to a cosmic clash of “Let there be” and there was.

 I was reading Psalm 19 this morning and thinking about this beautiful wonderful world that we live in. That the sun and the moon and all that there is would proclaim a creator, would shout to a broken world; “There is a God, and my existence proves you are not it.”

In reading Psalm 19 this morning I could not help but think of the Scientist who dedicates his life to knowing and understanding the very workings and intricacies of science. He dedicates his life perhaps to one specific area, let’s say…the sun (for convenience sake). He masters his own understanding of the “sun” and it’s movements and makings. He knows it’s composition and where it sits in the heavens. He studies this ball of gas for the entirety of his life and enjoys it’s offerings and benefits until the day he dies. Assuming he is not a believer in intelligent design, he can’t tell you exactly how it came to be that this particular ball of gas, upon which the whole world is dependent came to be at it’s exact location, just far enough away from the earth to bring life. Moving just so to give us humans the exact amount of rest we need, and the earth the exact amount of light she needs. He would never tell you that the cosmic ball of gas is a way in which God cares for His creation. He would never tell you that that this specific star, bows lower than all the other stars because One made it to do so, and it’s very nature of being declares praise and honor to Him who created it because it responds to His voice of “Let there be.” It responds to His voice when He says; “arise shine,” in the new day. It responds just as those who were created by Him and know Him respond when he says “Get up and walk,” “Your sins are forgiven,” “Your faith has made you well.” In fact this scientist will never know anything beyond a textbook knowledge of the sun because he will never touch it and know it, nor know The very source of its light and the One who tames and claims the light.

The Scientist could never fully understand and master his knowledge of the sun because he is not master of it, and he doesn’t even associate himself with The Master. Nor are we truly master of anything in this life, which brings me back to my sister. She is an artist. An amazing one at that. The life and breath she gives to her art is amazing and continues to place me in awe and utter respect of her talents. She has an art show tomorrow and it is the hope (I believe) of every artist to sell their work so they may continue to dedicate their energies to that creative process. I imagine it to be a painful process of letting go. As I looked at the pieces she will display, I thought about how much I have left to pay off on my loans and wondered if I could buy any of her work. You see, to have a piece of her art for me, means something more than for someone else. That art is what takes her away from us. That art is a part of her. It is her time, her energies, her investment, and her expression and understanding of the world. To have a piece of it would be to see through a window into her brain, or to have a small marking of her upon this world, or to have a small piece of her with me. That is something money can’t pay for. At the same time this understanding of the artist and her work gives depth and breath to understanding a creating God, a sending God, and a sacrificial God (Just to be clear, I’m not calling my sister a God). 

The investment of time and energy and being into a body of work, and she will put it out there to be admired, potentially bought, but also criticized. If bought, she will have to part with it for the sake of further creation. It’s funny how life naturally takes on an order and sacrificial system that gives testimony to what God has done, and continues to do for us. I doubt whoever buys her work will pay enough for it (even if they pay full price), nor will they appreciate it enough, but they and others will look upon it and wonder and marvel at it. Perhaps if they are reflective they might even think about the artist or creator and wonder what she is like, what caused her to create such bodies of work and where did her inspiration come from, and that will cause greater appreciation for the work. My sister is an amazing artist, but God is an amazing creator that breathed the breath of life into us, calls us His own, and sent us His son to die for us. Believers or not, we all sit beneath the same sun that gives life and light to all creation given by and giving testimony to One true God and creator of all. For that life and light that He gives, I give thanks, especially today; the day my sister; the artist was born.  

Psalm 19New King James Version (NKJV)

The Perfect Revelation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line[a] has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.