I went to Italy a few years ago—the
art and architecture of Rome was as breathtaking as I had heard. The beauty of
the Vatican was beyond description. The ceiling of St. Peter’s made me think
about the intensity of a man who created for God. After months of lying on his
back painting the hand of God he had a personal encounter with Jesus—and isn’t
that what it is all about? He received salvation. This did not set well with
the church and an argument on heresy ensued. He disagreed with the teachings of
the church and lay down his painting to move to Florence.
It was in Florence that he began to
sculpt. There are entire rooms of his “practices”. He would sculpt an ear—over
and over until he got it right. I was amazed and enthralled with this man who
was driven to create. This man “created” at great cost to his personal life. He
obviously knew God and knew the word (even though in that day the common man
did not read the Bible or know the word) because his art reflects it.
While in Florence I went into the
Rotunda that holds David—there are no words to describe that feeling. I could
try and produce a flowery recitation but it would not begin to describe even
the sheer size and magnificence of David or the fact that this rotunda was
built to hold David.
They were cleaning and inspecting the
sculpture—I think that made it even more spectacular. There was scaffolding up
the entire left side. There were 3 people inspecting and dusting the statue at
the same time—each at a different level! I could not even speak at the detail,
the “realness” of the statue, the heart of the man who poured himself into his
work and obviously did it as a tribute to the one he had come to know and love.
I recently had a vision that reminded
me of this whole experience---I saw a HUGE ice sculpture. It was beginning to
melt, then it would refreeze, melt and refreeze, melt and refreeze, reshaping
as it did so. Circumstances would come along and change the atmosphere again
melting and refreezing. There was activity to keep the original shape in the
beauty. The person was stressing, fretting over the melting and
refreezing---stressing over the morphing shape that was not the original. Am I
too close to the heat? Moving situations, continuously trying to change
circumstances to reshaping the sculpture. That would be like Michelangelo practicing
on the huge stone that became David instead of the smaller pieces.
Flirting with sin through lackadaisicalness is still sin. Melt.
Making excuses for disobedience is
nothing more than sin disguised. Melt.
Trapped in the mundaneness of life
instead of rejoicing in the day the Lord has made. Melt.
If you were stripped naked what would
you hide behind? Melt.
What is the area you are compromising?
Melt.
What is the one thing that you do not
want anyone to see? Melt.
Where do you reserve your heart from
God? Melt.
Where do you compromise on the word?
Melt.
Mark 7:13
Thus you nullify the word of God by
your tradition that you have handed down and you do many.
What I hear the Lord saying is—I told
you to watch the signs and the times, even as the seasons are changing so are
my seasons changing. Though your ice sculpture is nice, you aren’t the
sculptor—I AM. The reshaping you have done is nothing more than additions to
what I have made. I am taking you back to what is beneath—it is mine and carved
from the Rock. Take off all your excesses. This is no longer a season a
self-protection but a season of maturity and a solidification of who I am and
who I created you to be—a solidness that will draw the world.
Jeremiah 31:2-6 (NKJV)
2 Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived
the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when I went to give him rest.”
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when I went to give him rest.”
3 The Lord has appeared of old to
me, saying:“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.
4 Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
You shall again be adorned with your tambourines,
And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.
5 You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria;
The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food.
6 For there shall be a day
When the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim,
‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’”
Watchmen—how are you praying?
