I John 1:5

There is a big event going on in Grand Rapids right now called Art Prize. It is open to any artist in the world who can find some space or sponsorship for their art. There are behemoth structures and small, quiet paintings. Frankly, I haven't the desire to go and see it, because you find that so much of it is so very godless when you stop to examine it long enough to hear what it says. Sometimes, the paintings that are the most filled with light and bright, dazzling colors are the most lewd and blasphemous at the core of their inspiration. Some are more discrete than others. For example, I viewed an album that a facebook friend posted of some of this year's pieces. Scripted in the base of a white sculpture were the words, "I form light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things." This horribly untrue twisting of Isaiah is evidence of a confused world. So many artists trying to open our eyes--to the darkness. I am praying this morning that God would help me to see him, even when the bold colors try to disguise the darkness. Satan doesn't walk around in dull grays and gruesome greens. Many times he masquerades as the beautiful.

In my own life, I can think of times where I have acted for God with a secret desire for myself. I want to be heard or for people to see my bold colors. The truth is, there is not light in them. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:5-6, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."Just as Caitlin wrote of the light we see in his beautiful creation, any feeble attempts of art are only reflections of his powerful, complex and beautiful creation. So, too, we can only reflect his goodness and love.

I'm so thankful he has poured his light into our hearts, that we can see him as he is. Praying that he'd show us our true colors as we study his perfect goodness and light, that we'd truly reflect this light, and that we'd distinguish his light from the darkness that masquerades as beautiful things sometimes. Praying for all we know who are in the darkness, that he would shine his light into their hearts.

P.S. For those who might enjoy Art Prize (mainly Liz or Zoyia), I know you won't be dissuaded by my post. There are beautiful things to see there, and even those that are designed on dark philosophies can be appreciated for the knowledge or insight they give when they are put into proper perspective, I realize. I just wanted to use it as an example.