The Miracle of Personhood.

As an artist portraying the surrounding world, I praise God for His Creation and the power He displays there. Yet, the experience of personhood boggles the mind with awe of Him. The very eyes, intellect, and hands I use to observe the world were fashioned into being out of nothing by Him. My life, with a distinct personality, points to the God who willed me to be. The self, which alone is served above all else today, would not even be were it not for God’s purpose. How sad that we turn from the One who created us and fashion our own realities to escape accountability to Him.

We perceive the world as rational, emotive, thinking, and functioning beings with individual personality. Though having more knowledge than ever, we have not only lost the wonder of Creation; the amazement of our own existence has been suppressed. Science has become a philosophical doctrine of naturalism and materialism, reducing life to the idea we are mere animals or slime that betters itself over time. Our reality is defined as self-actuating. With intention to magnify our ability, the value of the real worth we have is destroyed. That we exist is a created miracle of God. Our significance and actuality is by the purposeful intent of an almighty God’s will.

I exalt in the joy of living, fashioned by the love of God and designed for relationship with Him. I marvel yet more knowing though I sinned and was at enmity with my own Creator, He brought me near in the Redemption of His own Son. The eternal Son stepped out of Heaven to live a prefect life, die in atonement to reconcile my rebellion, and rise victorious. The sublime goodness, grace, and glory of God is forever astounding.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36.

The Wow Factor of Art

Cotopaxi, (1862) Frederic Edwin Church.

When you view an art piece wonderfully full of expressive detail, it takes your breath away, doesn't it? We think, "Wow". Could this experience be an echo, a mirror reflecting something infinitely greater?

When we look at the world around us we see immense detail. Complexity so intricately designed that we observe with a reaction of wonder.

Today we have allowed technology to cloud the appreciation of wonder with a fixation on ourselves and what we presume we can do. The "wow" factor we feel when we view art can call us back to an appreciation of Creation. As we contemplate the God who made this manifold living reality, we are astounded. If we allow ourselves to think further, what an amazing reality it is to be living souls, with purpose and reason for being.

The uplifting appreciation we experience was put in us by God. The beauty around us points to the awesomeness of the Almighty. What is more, the hands we use to create, the mind and emotions to perceive, these too were fashioned by God. What joy that a personal Creator has given such gifts to mankind.

Photo: Cotopaxi (1862) by Frederic Edwin Church (May 4, 1826 – April 7, 1900).