It was a real thrill this week when a member of our Church came in with a painting that he felt God had put on his heart.
It depicts the crucifiction scene from above, with the activity of the Holy Spirit surrounding the cross, while drops of blood, a whip, hammer and nails serve as a stark reminder to the suffering endured.
On Good Friday we used this as an opportunity to reflect in silence and meditate on what Jesus went through for us.
I love the idea that God is speaking across the Church family to people and through their gifts, and this serves as an example to that. I hope is the start of something more.
1 comment:
That is an awesome picture in the traditional sense of the word (dictionary definition : Awe: dread mixed with reverence.) I agree that creativity is a gift that can express what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church. Of course there has always been creativity, but more to enter our minds and hearts through the sense of hearing; through the gift of music and the gift of oratory.
Paul mentions the more practical gifts, also; such as the gift of administration and encouragement to name but two.
I am a so-called "Creative" person in that I write poems, I am also a "performance poet"- and I am currently in the process of selling small books of my Christian poetry in aid of a children's outreach my church is engaged in, held in a local school and aimed at reaching out to young families. They need a lot of materials, as there is a lot of craft work and play involved.
I don't know about being "creative." Sometimes I joke that "I'm only really any good at useless things!" I feel I'd have been much more use to my family if I had better practical skills and financial expertise, for instance! Yet- I can look at a painting like this and YES, I agree that it is communicating something very powerful. It seems significant to me that the instruments of torture and the blood, however terrible, lose their horror in that bright light which is bordered by the wings of the Holy Spirit. Art can contain powerful symbols and this painting has a strong emotional impact. Paul rightly says that no gift is superior to another; and we are dependent on each other for ensuring that our churches are built up and encouraged and equipped for their most important task- reaching out in love to the people in the wider community who don't know Jesus.
Pauline
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