Art Appreciation: 101

Posted on May 18, 2007
Filed Under Uncategorized, Spirituality, Life, Responsibility, Trusting God, Goals, Self Care, Fulfillment |

We spent the afternoon in the Louvre today. It was, at the risk of sounding way too ordinary, amazing. Yes, there was Winged Victory. And, uh huh, we saw the lady herself, Mona Lisa. And Venus de Milo also majestically stood her ground. Really, the art took my breath away.

As I stood among the Egyptian sculptures, then in the middle of the Greek and Roman pieces, I thought about the timelessness of God. The God of all ages: the alpha and omega, eternal, everlasting, unchanging, faithful, timeless God. I thought of Him who, before time, thought of me, knew my name, and my life’s story before it even began. The same God who has moved, gracefully, through time, among kingdoms, and from generation to generation, moves today in me, through me, and on my behalf. It brings tears to my eyes even now to reflect upon it.

Men have, throughout the centuries and in pursuit of immortality, had their likenesses engraved in stone and chiseled from marble. There was room after room filled with the bust of one emperor or another . . . each hoping to leave their mark on time and be remembered after his last breath. I get it. We want our lives to count, to have mattered, to have made a difference . . . a lasting one at that.

Psalm 112

1 Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord
and delight in obeying his commands.
2 Their children will be successful everywhere;
an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
3 They themselves will be wealthy,
and their good deeds will last forever.
4 Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
5 Good comes to those who lend money generously
and conduct their business fairly.
6 Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
7 They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
8 They are confident and fearless
and can face their foes triumphantly.
9 They share freely and give generously to those in need.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.
They will have influence and honor.
10 The wicked will see this and be infuriated.
They will grind their teeth in anger;
they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.

I want to be remembered. I do. I want to be remembered for the good I do, the love I demonstrate, and God’s glory that I reflect. So it is with a deliberate paintbrush that I’m coloring my life - sometimes sloppily outside of the lines . . . but still. And it is with painstaking precision that I try to chisel away my rough edges to create a masterpiece of my life that is worthy of the One who made me in His divine and glorious image. Yes, I’m might have some chunks missing here and there, but I am a work in progress, I am a legacy in the making. And so are you, my beautiful friends, so are you. Now pick up your paintbrush . . .your canvas awaits! The world needs your beauty.

Peace and Blessings,

Nicole Walters