Jeremiah 29:11 (VOICE)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that.
Walk deeper into the joy of being a creative, of being an artist. Take God’s hand each day. Discover who He is. What is He saying about His love for the world? What is He saying about His love and how He Loves you?
Looking at this scripture at face value, it looks sweet. If you read it in context, it was written as encouragement while God’s people were captive in Babylon. Painful, and God was still with them.
It was exactly what the people needed to hear. God was with them. God would never leave them, even though they were in captivity. Art and creativity have that same opportunity for DEEP, ENCOURAGING, TRUTH today. Be still to know HE ALONE IS GOD.
God knows the wonderful plans He has for you. We have a tendency to walk in our own light, or see through a lens of our own making. But what if we come with an expectation to have dialogue with God? Each day is meant to challenge your heart and open doors to intimacy with the Lover of your soul. Take God’s hand, with a serious desire to look into His face, and have the courage to say YES.
At the end of this 31 day pilgrimage, your gallery will have a variety of expressions illustrating responses. Some may be words of pain, some may reflect the healing taking place. The freedom of this gallery will be a direct reflection of how courageously true you can be to God and your heart. Wonderful art has already been started in you by the most Unique and Creative Artist.
Come wanting to meet with Jesus. You may print a copy so you can write your answers, or be creative and make a responsive booklet that speaks your genre.
When you pull the shade, how do you greet the morning? Reflect upon what you see. Gray skies or clear, snow falling rain, sun, does the weather affect your mood? Allow yourself
to breathe,
take in,
to receive.
How does God want you to share what you just experienced? Is the Holy Spirit part of your creative intake and outflow?
“We learned that what happens when we are alone with the Lord determines how intimate and deep the worship will be when we come together.” ~ John Wimber
What takes place in your quiet time will reflect how deeply you express your worship with others. What if this is a reflection of ALL CREATIVE WORSHIP and ART? I am not referring to only the worship leaders on the weekend or the song writers. I am asking all creatives to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe into their daily lives and art, so His wonder will breathe out to others.
This is the general path we will take for each day.
I will start with a scripture. Open a space for your soul. ENGAGE. Read slowly.
After the words are read unhurriedly, write a first engagement of what God is sharing with you. Questions, maybe a prayer, a past memory, possibly a pain remembered will be included. This is your personal time with God.
Next, read the devotion. Read the devotion again a second time more deliberately . This is not a time to rush. After the second reading, take time to soak again. Take in all three items, (Scripture, photo and devotion reading).
This is a time to reflect upon your relationship with God. How is that intimacy to be reflected in your in your creativity and in your life.
Emily P. Freeman’s book A MILLION LITTLE WAYS states your whole life is not limited to one single type of art or worship. Your whole life is to “uncover the art you were made to live.”
Each day, allow yourself to RECEIVE what you are reading. Give yourself time to REFLECT upon what your receive . RESPOND IN your creative genre what God wants to share with you.
The beauty is too much for us to keep inside. We need to express. Take it to your art. Take it through your day. Take it to your life.
BE
FREE
TO
WORSHIP
AS
YOU
WERE
CREATED!