One thing I have asked from the LORD … to see the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.
— Psalm 27:4
Christianity has been a great patron of the arts—from paintings to music to the great cathedrals.
Now there are those who have supposed that the second commandment against graven images forbids the use of visual arts altogether. However, God also gave all of the instructions for the building of the tabernacle, and in that tabernacle were all manner of visual arts. On the veil that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies there were flowers and pomegranates and palm trees and many other things. Note what it says about the high priest's clothing: "And you shall make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2).
God is a God of beauty. He changed the chaos into the cosmos—a thing of beauty. The very word means order and beauty. Cosmetology is the practice of beautifying the face. God is the great artist who beautifies His creation, giving us the magnificent sunsets He paints for us every evening. He gives us the glory of the budding flowers and the beautiful trees and plants that we all enjoy. God is not opposed to art. He is the Great Artist. What God forbade was idolatry, the worship of an idol or even of the true God through an idol.
Question to ponder:
What place does art play in your life in general and in your spiritual life particularly?
God and the Arts
June 29, 2022 • Psalm 27:4
The Second Mile
June 30, 2022 • Matthew 5:41
And whoever compels you to go a mile, go with him two. — Matthew 5:41 Centuries before Christ, Cyrus the Great was a mighty monarch of the Persian Empire, which stretched from one end to the other of the known inhabited world. He invented the first national postal system, probably because the decrees of the king of the Medes and the Persians were inviolable and could not be changed, so it was important that the people heard about it when the king made a decree. In the process of putting that huge postal service in place, Cyrus the Great issued a decree that the couriers could require any person to carry any burden on his person, his mule, his cart, a horse, in a ship or whatever, for one mile. After that, he could not impress or compel him any further. The Romans adopted this postal system, along with the custom of compelling a person to carry a burden for a mile. It was a very onerous thing for the Jews, who already detested the fact that they had to pay taxes to the despotic and tyrannical Roman conquerors. When Jesus said we should go a second mile, it was unthinkable to His Jewish hearers. It was unconscionable. Then they would have to walk two miles back—that's four miles. Does Jesus know what He is asking? Ah, yes, He knows. Jesus not only taught it by precept, he taught it by example. It is one of the most difficult things anyone will ever learn to do. It is the art of true Christian forgiveness carried through to the end. Question to ponder: How can you apply the second mile principle in your life today—showing kindness to someone who may not deserve it?
Available for God
June 28, 2022 • Deuteronomy 33:25
… according to your days, so shall be your strength. — Deuteronomy 33:25 What is the greatest ability we can have when it comes to serving God? Is it the ability to preach great sermons and lead thousands to Christ? Is it the ability to cross the ocean and serve in some great missionary enterprise? Is it the ability to stay home and rear children in the Christian faith? All of these things are important and have their place. I believe, however, that the greatest ability that the Christian needs is availability. Are you available to God? Are you available to Him today and each day to use you? When we make ourselves available to God, He equips us for every good work He wants us to do. He gives us the strength to accomplish that which He has set before us. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). Someone recommended taking that verse and repeating and emphasizing separately each succeeding word. "I can do all things through Christ," not merely the apostles, or the martyrs or super saints, but "I can do all things through Christ." That is a promise to you. Do you believe it? "I can do all things … I can do all things." I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Question to ponder: If you knew you couldn't fail—because God was in it—what great thing would you attempt for His glory and others' good?
Defender of the Faith
June 27, 2022 • 1 Peter 3:15
… Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and fear. — 1 Peter 3:15 Some years ago, I heard Dr. Somebody-or-Other taking calls from Christians on a radio show. They were calling in and challenging him on various things, and he was chewing them up and spitting them out. Not one Christian could answer any question he asked them. They would explain why they believe with statements like, "Well, because I've got it down in my heart." This atheist answered, "Well, I don't have it down in my heart, and I don't believe it either"—and he hung up. The Scripture says that we should always be ready to give an answer as to why we believe anything we claim that we believe. The Bible is not based upon blind faith, but on God's acting in history, past and present. Just to give one example: when Jesus was born, carried out His ministry, was crucified and raised back to life, He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies that were written hundreds of years before He came. Only God knows the future. Only God could have written that story. All around us, we have unbelievers today challenging us on what we believe. We hear challenges on television, radio, books, magazines, motion pictures, and the internet as to why we believe any of this "stuff" we say that we believe. Let us always be ready with reasons for our faith. Question to ponder: How can you prepare to give a good answer to people who challenge your faith?