Hello Friends,
The Take Me Deeper theme for July at His Kingdom Come was Honour. I did a bible art page in response.
The portion of scripture I chose to illustrate is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:
I Gesso-ed over the devotional article on the facing page and used acrylic gold paint, a blue Gelato and Sharpie markers for my art. I also used a "Praise Him" stencil, available from the His Kingdom Come store.
As I meditated on the verses I thought about what it means to have God's Holy Spirit taking up residence within me and to know that this piece of real estate (temple) that is my body was bought with the highest price - the blood of Christ.
At present I rent the property where I live, but I have been a home owner in the past. In a rental I can't make major changes, like tearing down walls. But as a home owner I was able to renovate the whole attic into usable living space. I tore out my old kitchen and put in a new, more functional layout.
God is not a renter that he should ask my permission to make changes in me. Who am I to question if he starts tearing down walls of protection and identity that I thought were good, or breaking up foundations of belief that I thought were stable? A home owner would never tear apart unless he were planning to rebuild much better than what was before.
So how do I honour Christ with my body? Is it by keeping myself pure from sexual immorality, from harmful substances or by exercising and eating right? Surely these are all good things, but my first responsibility is in recognizing that I am owned by God, bought by the blood of his Son and inhabited by his Holy Spirit.
Should I start each day by asking, "Holy Spirit, what do you want to do with this body today?" Some people live that way and they lead powerful, Spirit-led lives that impact the world around them. But can I live like that? And why does the thought of being so completely committed to the Lordship of Jesus frighten me?
I think it is a slave mentality that causes me to cringe from embracing the reality of being owned by God. If God were a cold monarch, bent on ownership and control, then I should rightfully be afraid. But he is a loving Father who bought a derelict property, ruled by a tyrant (Satan) and overrun by gnawing rats. He left his glorious home for the express purpose of living in this dump, just to be close to me. Even though he has the right to do whatever he wants to bring this crumbling property into the beauty it was designed to be, without ever consulting me, he most often puts his arm around me and discusses his plans. He is even open to my suggestions, at times.
Rather than demanding that my every moment is spent serving him, he calls me to sit and rest with him. He even comes alongside of me as I cook or write or paint or watch a movie or spend time with a friend. In every situation he is teaching me, communing with me and, most of all, loving me.
I am not my own. But I never was. Neither are you. Whose do you want to be?
Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today. I hope I have inspired you a little. Do you see the picture of the derelict house above? Can you imagine it as the architect designed it, all in its full glory? Imagine it. Picture it. That is the picture God sees when he looks at you. You are beautiful and you are loved.
Blessing hugs,
Teresa
Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything family friendly goes
Paint Party Friday - paint
The Take Me Deeper theme for July at His Kingdom Come was Honour. I did a bible art page in response.
The portion of scripture I chose to illustrate is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body."
At present I rent the property where I live, but I have been a home owner in the past. In a rental I can't make major changes, like tearing down walls. But as a home owner I was able to renovate the whole attic into usable living space. I tore out my old kitchen and put in a new, more functional layout.
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."
God is not a renter that he should ask my permission to make changes in me. Who am I to question if he starts tearing down walls of protection and identity that I thought were good, or breaking up foundations of belief that I thought were stable? A home owner would never tear apart unless he were planning to rebuild much better than what was before.
"Oh afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires; I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels and all your wall of precious stones." (Isaiah 54:11-12)
So how do I honour Christ with my body? Is it by keeping myself pure from sexual immorality, from harmful substances or by exercising and eating right? Surely these are all good things, but my first responsibility is in recognizing that I am owned by God, bought by the blood of his Son and inhabited by his Holy Spirit.
"You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body."
Should I start each day by asking, "Holy Spirit, what do you want to do with this body today?" Some people live that way and they lead powerful, Spirit-led lives that impact the world around them. But can I live like that? And why does the thought of being so completely committed to the Lordship of Jesus frighten me?
I think it is a slave mentality that causes me to cringe from embracing the reality of being owned by God. If God were a cold monarch, bent on ownership and control, then I should rightfully be afraid. But he is a loving Father who bought a derelict property, ruled by a tyrant (Satan) and overrun by gnawing rats. He left his glorious home for the express purpose of living in this dump, just to be close to me. Even though he has the right to do whatever he wants to bring this crumbling property into the beauty it was designed to be, without ever consulting me, he most often puts his arm around me and discusses his plans. He is even open to my suggestions, at times.
Rather than demanding that my every moment is spent serving him, he calls me to sit and rest with him. He even comes alongside of me as I cook or write or paint or watch a movie or spend time with a friend. In every situation he is teaching me, communing with me and, most of all, loving me.
"Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29)
I am not my own. But I never was. Neither are you. Whose do you want to be?
Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today. I hope I have inspired you a little. Do you see the picture of the derelict house above? Can you imagine it as the architect designed it, all in its full glory? Imagine it. Picture it. That is the picture God sees when he looks at you. You are beautiful and you are loved.
Blessing hugs,
Teresa
Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything family friendly goes
Paint Party Friday - paint
4 comments:
Wonderful work and words, Teresa. Hugs, Valerie
Thanks for the reminder from Scripture that we are the house the HS lives in. I quite taken with your use of Scripture and Art.
Really good words to ponder and your boldness to share your faith.
Sending hug.
Teresa, A great work of art and a wonderful call to purity. Thank you so much for taking time to post your very creative art with us this week at Word Art Wednesday, in our 195th challenge.
Blessings and Hugs, Carole
how marvellous these words are and your bible art is amazing. I love the highlighted script words in colours. The derelict house - wow.. what an glorious sight it would have been once, and love the correlation you've made with ourselves. too true, I would never have thought it - so glad you made a wonderful point of it in your post
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