“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
Why do you complain,
Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:25-31
Have you ever felt the weight of the
world, so badly that you forget things? Maybe you forgot why you were
doing an activity in your daily routine or you forgot significant
dates or people. It is even possible to be so inwardly focused that
you forget the works of God.
Nature is constantly a challenge for
those who deny the existence of God. Even with the breadth of our
science, there are still unexplainable things, both unpredictable and
scary. The shear expanse of nature is in fact a pointer to the
Creator. For the creative person, nature, is the thing that
constantly gives us new material.
So, why is it so easy to forget God, if
we are surrounded by creation that screams out toward heaven? Like
Israel, we often feel alone. We often feel as if no one truly
understands us. Because God's acts are not often overt, our eyes
quickly turn inward. And the unsettling conclusion is that we are
isolated.
Just beyond our human limitations is
the Creator, God. He has reached out for us. He is watching us and He
is everlasting. When we turn our individual despair to the author of
it all with the help of Jesus Christ, we can not only deal with the
weight of the world, but soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow
weary, and walk and not be faint. In other words, we get to thrive
under any circumstance. In fact we may at times exceed human
expectations. The greatest investment of our human capabilities is to
bank on God coming through.
Review the circumstances of your week.
At what time during your week did you feel weary because of the
weight of the world? How did you respond? Were you able to see beyond
that time?
Look at nature, a tree, a bird, a blade
of grass, etc...what impresses you? What do you learn about the
unknown as you observe God's creation?
Take about fifteen minutes today and
reread the Isaiah 40:25-31. Then look at nature again and create a
piece of artwork concerning this passage. Take on the challenge of
imitating creation and see what that does to your impression of God.
IMPORTANT DATES:
NOV 14: VISITING ARTIST: BILL FIORITTO, Designer at
Fahlgren. Come learn and be inspired as Bill shares with us about his
profession and his faith. 7:30-9:30 pm Vineyard Communtiy Center*NOV 21: OPEN STUDIO: Bring your art to work on, share, or socialize with other creatives. 7:30-9:30 pm Vineyard Communtiy Center*
NOV
28:
PRAYER FOR THE ARTS: We want to pray for you and your calling. Join
us as we lift up the needs of artists and for God's work through us
in the arts. 7:30-9:30 pm Vineyard Communtiy Center*
DEC 5: OPEN STUDIO: OPEN STUDIO: Bring your art to work on,
share, or socialize with other creatives, 7:30-9:30 pm Vineyard
Communtiy Center*DEC 12: VISUAL SANCTUARY: REVIEW NIGHT-We want to encourage you in your creative journey and see you grow and thrive in your art. We welcome all skill levels and visual art persuasions. 7:30-9:30 pm Vineyard Communtiy Center*
DEC 19: OPEN STUDIO: Bring your art to work on, share, or socialize with other creatives, 7:30-9:30 pm Vineyard Communtiy Center*
DEC
26:
PRAYER FOR THE ARTS: CANCELLED- Enjoy Christmas with your family.
*Room
208, Art Room**Keep watch for a change in location starting at the end of January. We will temporarily relocate for about a month.