The Beauty I see

The Beauty I see. As an artist I can’t help but be amazed at the beauty around us.
The clouds are forever changing. Trees, flowers, and so many incredible creatures are so uniquely designed for their own purpose and well being. It is so evident, that as I try to emulate the beauty in creation with my artwork I fail, no matter how hard I try, to capture the variations and details.
What I make is a faint reflection of the real wonders of our world.
As I start a painting, I research, study, and contemplate how each item was formed, whether it is the anatomy of a butterfly, or the powerful movements in marble. What I create is a reflection of my feelings and love and attention for the details I see. What God creates, in a similar but much greater way, is a reflection of who He is.
So much around us points to an intelligent Creator who lovingly cares for His creatures.
What I see is the incredible detail in a leaf, the tenderness poured into a sparrow who has been programmed to fend for itself and care for its young, or even the complex DNA codes in each cell of every living organism which tells it to react properly to its nature and function. As I dwell on the complexity of all this, I am so dumbfounded that God has in an instant, created and simultaneously cares for all of His creatures. Each element of my artwork takes me hours of labour to try to come close to what God created with His voice. He knows His creatures intimately how they grow and mature. The Bible says, “The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it.” ( Psalm 24:1) In the Bible God has given us insight as to our purpose.
Since God is our Creator, we are responsible to reflect Him. In the first book of the Bible it says, “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27) Out of all that God created, humans are the only ones made in His own image. “In His image” means that we like God are given certain qualities which He Himself possesses. We have a conscience, intellect, and forethought. We are responsible to God in our thoughts, values, words, and deeds. God, as our Creator, has absolute claim on our lives. Our dependence on God is related to this verse: “Know that the Lord Himself is God: it is He who made us, and not we ourselves, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” (Ps 100:3)
When I create something, I am fully in control over the outcome of my piece. I am able to decide what purpose I have created it for and it can only reflect what I’ve decided. So it is with God and His creation.
We are also created to have a relationship with God.
He wants us to know Him in an intimate way, as a Father to his child. We are created to have communion with Him and if we reject this relationship, we will forever be searching for the satisfaction that it would bring. Since God’s character, rights as Creator, gifts and warnings are all reminders of His loving ownership of us, why don’t we love Him with all our heart soul, mind and strength? The answer is sadly simple, we rebel against our Creator. Jesus said, “You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Scripture also says, “if you stumble in one point you have become guilty of all.” (James 2:10) What this means is that if we break one commandment we are not free from the punishment of being a lawbreaker. You probably already know the Ten Commandments, even if you have never read the bible. God has written His law on our heart. If, however, you don’t think there is any standard for right and wrong then evaluate the indignation you feel when someone decides to cut in line in front of you or someone else is treated unkindly. What makes us think something is wrong, if there is no standard? Why can most people agree generally upon what is fair, if there is no one who put this in the mind of us all? Another way to look at this is, if there are no moral absolutes, why do we make excuses for our actions, if we did not think there is some higher standard to which we all agree.
You probably think it is wrong to steal, murder, commit adultery, covet, lie...and may even think you have never committed any of these.
Did you know that Jesus said, “If you look at a woman to lust after her you have already committed adultery in your heart.”(Matt. 5:28)? He also said that if you are even angry with with someone you already have committed murder. We all may not have committed these things physically, God, however is concerned also with our attitude, and if we are honest, we have to admit that we have committed them in our heart. Sin is defined as missing the mark. Anything short of perfection is an offence to God. We “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) But the God, who made us all is a “gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.”( Jonah 4:2)
He has provided the way of reconciliation and life. “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us have turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” ( Isaiah 53:6) When I study and create my paintings the tree I paint does not refuse to act according to the detail for which I painted it, and my flowers when I‘m painting them don't tell me they are going to be butterflies. But we, as humans, refuse to act in the way for which God created us. “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder Why have you made me thus?” (Isaiah 45:9) Instead of rebelling we are commanded to love God with all of our hearts. However our heart is “more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick, who can understand it, “I the Lord search the heart, I test the mind, even to five to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:10)
If something goes wrong with one of my paintings ( spilled paint for example), I decide what I will do with it. God has made His law which we have broken, yet we continue to deny our responsibility for this disobedience, when help is available.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36) God has created a piece that has the ability to make choices. God is not going to force His creation to love and obey Him. The problem is that we are not naturally able or willing to obey God.
The good news is that He has provided the way for us.
When Christ came down to be like us as a man, He lived the perfect life that we could never live. He was our substitute. “Just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam) sin is paid for through one man (Jesus).” (Romans 5:12) Jesus who lived in perfect union with God the Father, humbled and separated Himself to become like us. He suffered an incomparable sorrow in the rejection of His people. They denied His message which said, “I am the bread of Life he who eats of me shall never hunger.” (John 6:35) “ I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through me.” (John 14:6) “ If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross and follow Me.” ( Matthew 16:24) “ The road is narrow that leads to life, few are those who find it, but wide is the way that leads to destruction.” ( Matthew 7:13) God has warned many times of His judgement on all sin.
Most people of Jesus’ time did not want the message of good news that God was sending through Jesus. Jesus knew he was appointed for this time to be the sin payment for all men “But he was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquity, the chastening of us all fell on Him.” (Isaiah 53:5) “But God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) While men hated, mocked and killed Him, He died for them so that they may have life, if they believe.
In this horrid picture of sacrifice, God makes a beautiful masterpiece because He knows it will offer life to all who receive the Truth. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ of Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ( I John 1:9) “The Lord is not slow as some count slowness, but long-suffering towards us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance.” ( II Pet 3:9) “But if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9) “These things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that you may have Life in His name.” ( John 20:31)
Will you repent of your sins, turn from them and accept the great and beautiful painting God is holding out before you? He will then transform you into a beautiful living masterpiece and give you the meaning in this life for which He created you. Even more, you’ll enjoy life, forever, with your Creator. Remember life is here today, and gone tomorrow. We don’t know how long we have, Jesus said to those listening to His message, “Today is the day of salvation.”
If you are interested in hearing Bible teaching you are welcome to my church at Bible Church of Buena Park. biblechurchbp.org I beg of you to consider this message of love as the greatest gift you could ever receive. This is the Beauty I see. Please feel free email me at heidi@creationcreations.com