Stretch Back
For the past week I have taken a view of God into account that I hadn't registered before. I know it is not a unique idea as I have read a piece of writing already which has mentioned it but all of these feelings revolve around one piece by Michelangelo:
The beautiful image of God reaching for man and holding on to the angels in order to stretch further while man just passively throws his arm out to the side to 'touch' God. It strikes me that this is the case of so many today in this post-modern and apathetic community.
If you know me at all, one thing that absolutely drives a stake into my heart is apathy and complacency particularly regarding beliefs. As people do not care to make any sort of contribution to their livelihood and just waste the day away and wallow in their own sluggish thought patterns.
If one cannot see the obviousness of the Lord, drive into an unpopulated and unlit area like a field or better yet, the mountains and be prepared to stay there until nightfall. Set up a blanket if you'd wish but stare up at the stars.
You cannot deny the reality of a creator when you see the complete majesty of the bodies up in the sky. If you see one twinkle and then wink-out, fading to nothingness, maybe the star goes out. That would mean that hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago, the star had ceased to exist and we are only just seeing it now. Think about it - the day that Byzantium became known as Constantinople in the 7th century BC, this star may have fizzled out and we are just seeing it now.
It connects us so beautifully with the history of this earth - one which we rarely actually bother to think and truly reflect on on a regular basis. The history that God was still on the throne for - the stories that we're told in school or at home that our Father was still present at. He is the be all and the end all. There is nothing before or after Him.
I was shown this photo again last week and my heart was just opened to the remarkable beauty it does indeed portray. He longs for us to draw near to Him - He longs for us to come to know Him personally and spend time with Him, actually exercising a relationship.
And we as humans fail explicitly at being the thing that strikes that chord of favoured every time. I cannot tell you just how much I personally fall short of the glory of God every day- yet here I am, still on my knees knowing that I am not rejected. In fact, He would know every minute detail of my life from my shortcomings to how many hairs I have on my body... and even I would grow tired off counting as soon as I reached 150.
Then why does He set us aside as His chosen people?
Well if I knew that, I wouldn't be so impressed or marvel quite as much as His remarkable and magnificent glory now would I?
Instead, I would reach my own hand back and actually stretch for Him... long to feel Him, know Him, be with Him. Is that not enough?
Yet I crave it anyway. I refuse to let my hand go limp.
The beautiful image of God reaching for man and holding on to the angels in order to stretch further while man just passively throws his arm out to the side to 'touch' God. It strikes me that this is the case of so many today in this post-modern and apathetic community.
If you know me at all, one thing that absolutely drives a stake into my heart is apathy and complacency particularly regarding beliefs. As people do not care to make any sort of contribution to their livelihood and just waste the day away and wallow in their own sluggish thought patterns.
If one cannot see the obviousness of the Lord, drive into an unpopulated and unlit area like a field or better yet, the mountains and be prepared to stay there until nightfall. Set up a blanket if you'd wish but stare up at the stars.
You cannot deny the reality of a creator when you see the complete majesty of the bodies up in the sky. If you see one twinkle and then wink-out, fading to nothingness, maybe the star goes out. That would mean that hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago, the star had ceased to exist and we are only just seeing it now. Think about it - the day that Byzantium became known as Constantinople in the 7th century BC, this star may have fizzled out and we are just seeing it now.
It connects us so beautifully with the history of this earth - one which we rarely actually bother to think and truly reflect on on a regular basis. The history that God was still on the throne for - the stories that we're told in school or at home that our Father was still present at. He is the be all and the end all. There is nothing before or after Him.
I was shown this photo again last week and my heart was just opened to the remarkable beauty it does indeed portray. He longs for us to draw near to Him - He longs for us to come to know Him personally and spend time with Him, actually exercising a relationship.
Since He has at His command all the power in the universe, the Lord God omnipotent can do anything as easily as anything else. All His acts are done without effort. He expends no energy that must be replenished. His self-sufficiency makes it unnecessary for Him to look outside of Himself for a renewal of strength. All the power required to do all that He will do lies in undiminished fullness in His own infinite being.
- A.W. Tozer
And we as humans fail explicitly at being the thing that strikes that chord of favoured every time. I cannot tell you just how much I personally fall short of the glory of God every day- yet here I am, still on my knees knowing that I am not rejected. In fact, He would know every minute detail of my life from my shortcomings to how many hairs I have on my body... and even I would grow tired off counting as soon as I reached 150.
Then why does He set us aside as His chosen people?
Well if I knew that, I wouldn't be so impressed or marvel quite as much as His remarkable and magnificent glory now would I?
Instead, I would reach my own hand back and actually stretch for Him... long to feel Him, know Him, be with Him. Is that not enough?
Yet I crave it anyway. I refuse to let my hand go limp.
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