Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV)
I’ve always had a great appreciation for art, and I love drawing things. However, I haven’t taken an art class since junior high school. That wasn’t because I didn’t want to...it was because I had to make choices and I chose Speech and Drama. Still, throughout my life nothing has stopped me from doodling with a pencil or playing with clay. Art has become a very satisfying hobby for me.
When I decided I wanted illustrations for my website and my books, I knew that hiring an illustrator was out of the question. The only authors and bloggers who earn any income sell millions of books and have millions of followers.
I prayed about what to do and God reminded me, He is God and can help me with anything, so I decided to start doing my own illustrations and using my own photographs.
I knew from studying public speaking in high school, college, and Seminary that finding my VOICE is the most difficult task. With my illustrations I am in the process of finding and establishing my voice. I have been a doodler all my life, so working with pencil and paper is easier than doing digital drawing and painting. I found out the digital world is crazy hard, but ever so slowly I am learning.
As I’ve practiced various art forms throughout my life, I’ve also played around with clay. Forming statues gave me a new appreciation for Michaelangelo’s Pieta (another reason I have visiting Italy on my bucket list). When I look at pictures of the statue of Mary holding her son’s limp body, I am amazed by its magnificence! While I’ve not been to Italy, I have visited the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa and viewed and took photos of the artwork and rock structures there.
Photograph taken at Grotto of the Redemption.
It makes me wonder how artists can form such beauty? How is it possible? Yet, we have clear evidence of their genius.
As we read in Genesis 1:26-27, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
God (who I am reminded, IS God) formed man IN HIS IMAGE. God created male and female in His image.
God created man.
God created woman.
Not only did God’s perfect creation of the flesh depict a beautiful image, the anatomy of man and woman gave their bodies perfect order. Men were formed perfectly with a purpose. Every organ, every tissue has purpose in the image of God. The body of the woman created in God’s image was very different from the body of the man, but that formation was also created with a purpose. Every organ and tissue in a woman’s body has a perfect purpose.
They were created in the likeness of God.
Talk about great artwork and perfect anatomy! I am amazed by God’s perfection!
Then, Genesis says God gave man and woman dominion over:
ALL sea creatures
ALL sky creatures
ALL cattle
And EVERY creeping thing ON THE EARTH.
I could be wrong but in my mind when God has given me a gift (like a child), I considered that gift to carry responsibility on my part. I am human and I know I made mistakes as a parent, but they were not intentional mistakes. I do wish I’d known then what I know now because my parenting style at times would have been different. While we laughed a lot, I would laugh even more. I talked a lot, but would talk more. While I prayed a lot for my children, I would pray more. I spoke of God often, but I would bring every lesson back to God and scripture. I would be more intentional about ‘dominion’.
Today, I am amazed by my children and their parenting skills. I love how they love their children. I love how they have and are intentionally disciplining them. I am grateful that God heard my prayers. God sent each of my children incredible partners who have amazing parenting skills. My children laugh a lot with their children. They talk more. They pray for and with them and they teach their children about who God is. For me, it’s a great blessing! It IS like I got a DO-OVER.
God sometimes gives us intentional gifts that just keep blessing. On Day 6, not only did God give men and women charge to care for all He created, He gave them the gift of love and care for each other and for everything on the planet. Dominion does mean being responsible, but it also means treating God’s creation with love and care.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Care for the Planet
This practice will look different for everyone. For some, it will mean praying for a child, or an animal. For others it will mean caring for a tree or a plant. However you ‘Practice’ love and care, do it with intentionality.
In God, Deborah
acrazyjourney.com
Comentarios