The Artist Bent- revisited

I have this secret, this glorious secret to share. The words just might not come but I'll type on trying to find them. And because I am creating, it won't look very pretty and my English teacher, well let's just say she might need a wig because of the loss of hair. Look away, if Grammar is your passion. I am really sorry but this might be quite messy.

I read here about God, the Master Artist. I read how He creates. I read here about how it looks. I think of Him there, grieved in His heart and how He plotted destruction because He was sorry that He made them.

I know some artists and I have seen them create. I have marveled at their work and stood speechless at their talent. I have created too and it didn't read too bad. Or would it be badly?

I have also seen these artists revisit their works. I have seen them grieved in their heart. I have even seen them crush the works of their hands, rend their art to shreds, burn it to pieces. And I, being the not so good artist myself, have grieved and ripped my words down from their public platforms, hiding their intent from the world. The artist can not stand to have the creation misunderstood or looking bad or reminding us of our faults.

And the LORD, well He was gonna do it to. He stood there grieving and plotting.

“BUT”

That has got to be my favorite word in the Bible. Everything in my life and yours hinges on that word.

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

And we see that Master Artist who never makes a mistake. We see Him pause, BENT in His reflection of this creation, and then He reaches back and in.

And if we reflect in thanksgiving, we see Him move in our own lives. Over and over again, He redeems. He snatches the best, the one thing Righteous and He tosses the rest. Yes, He does throw away and burn the trash.

And I think about Him in my life. I think about Him and His moments of fury. I think of Him grieved as He looks upon me. Him plotting to blot me right out of there.

“but”

There He is, on the scene. Snatching what is right and burning the rest. Do you see Him in your life? Can you find Him among all the mess? It really will look like quite a mess when He comes in.

Not long ago, I was telling of how I had been pressed down and burned. How I feel like I have been squished flat as a pancake as the air rushed out of me. Punctured so deeply by those I called friends. And I cried out to Him who hears. And He heard. And then He acted. But not how you might think. I know I didn't see it coming. 

He picked me up, and threw me in the furnace. “Wow, what a loving God?!”

Shall I say it again? More clearly and loudly this time?!

“BUT”

But God- well He fried me to a crisp.

No, not a little warm your soul kind of experience or maybe a tan. No, not even a really bad sunburn. There was no sunscreen.  No, this was a 1,000 degree oven that melts even the finest metal. 

And you know what? Yeah, here is the real secret! There was something left. And it found favor in the eyes of the LORD. And He let it live. It didn't turn to ash and it actually had some worth to it. And He had a plan for it, and it was good.

And He is in the business of shining it up as we speak. (I think He plans to reheat it later.)

And little ol' me? Well, it is ok that He used others to wound me. It is ok that He burned me beyond recognition. It is ok that there is only a little tiny bit of the original me left. Because the GLORIOUS SECRET is

FOR GOD SO LOVED,

THAT HE GAVE

HIS ONLY SON.

AND

WHOSOEVER BELIEVES,

SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!

Even little ol' me.