Ok. I see that visits are still coming in. Is there more writer's block? No. Not necessarily. In fact, I've been finding quite the opposite recently. Not necessarily in writing, per se, but rather in multiple areas of expression: musically, artistically and literarily. The difference between me expressing my onslaught of recent creativity is availability.
Recently the Lord has opened the door to a closet of creativity in my mind I never knew was there. With no other outlet of mental escape, trapped in my cage of called a cubicle, I’ve made drawing a place of retreat for my mind. A person can only take so many people yelling at him about their problems and how it is his company’s fault that they are not making good decisions. Ah, the degradation of ethics and responsibility of our American culture displayed before my very eyes in the form of a 120 day, past due Bowflex account with a $1,415.33 balance (Don’t worry HSBC, I made up this figure… no smuggling account information from this employee). But I will save my woes for another post. Between the 500 or so, “He’s not home.”’s, “She’s in the shower’s”’s and “I told you #*%&@’s to stop calling me!”’s, a drawing of a face or hand begins to take form. After one final “I’m not interested!”, my Picasso is complete!
At home, my guitar has been finding itself producing chords and progressions it has never expressed before. After practicing several new songs to prepare for summer singspirations, I’ve learned a lot of new chords and some new (unofficial) guitar and music theory. Inspired by my musical heroes and newly found chords, I’ve managed to write some new music. I’ve been finding myself quite delighted over my recent musical outbursts. Recently, I’ve been working on a song about the death and resurrection of Christ. Most of you will probably never hear it… count your blessings!
Writing. Ah, yes! My old friend. Why haven’t I been writing? What has happened is availability or rather the lack thereof. I have found myself without a computer as of late. So, many of my literary rantings have found themselves, unfortunately, trapped within my head. A few have made desperate cries and have found themselves being poured out on paper by way of pencil. That is definitely not my favorite way of writing. Hopefully circumstances will change soon and I will be free to paste my thoughts to my simple www.home once again. Until then, we must wait patiently for more.
Patience. A commodity not too many people have enough of, especially myself. Maybe it’s because I am so self-centered. I’ve recently given this mindset a new term: meocentricity (mee-oh-sen-tri-sity: 1.the belief that the universe revolves around one’s self.* 2. the thought that everything that ever was, is and will be leads to one thing. Me.*) The Lord has made this almost as clear to me as the water in a mountain spring. I have spent years fixed one speck of my life which looked to me more like a mere “character flaw” only to be jerked back by the loving hand of God to reveal a thriving cesspool of iniquity and pride.
The end.
Thank the Lord it is not! What a pitiful tragety that would be. “But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more.” Rather than being left to fall broken into a pit despair and hopelessness, the Lord has given me renewed hope and strength. While the Lord shows me the iniquity I have been party to, He also has taught me about the grace He has poured out on me through the sacrificial blood of Christ.
Jerry Bridges in his book, The Pursuit of Holiness, writes about balance. We are to be balanced in our understanding of the sanctification process. We are to understand that the Lord does the work of sanctification. However, we are to work for it. We labor and He gives the fruit. Amazing grace! Not only has Christ giving me justification through His blood, but he has giving me power to overcome the world as well!
As I have focused my personal study on reading and rereading the book of Ephesians. My encouragement and strength is renewed as I read chapter 1 where Paul prays for the Ephesian saints. In that prayer, he explains to them that the power that works in them is the VERY SAME power that has been “demonstrated…in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens — far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” If that doesn’t excite you, you need to check to see if you’re heart is still beating.
But why? Why does all of this have to happen? Why doesn't God just save us and make us instantly perfected. If you haven't seen it yet, the answer is simple! So God can bring all glory to Himself. To shift meocentricity to Theocentricity.
So, with this I bring my most recent attempt at a post to a close. My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, be humbled by your still-present, fallen nature. But even more so, be greatly encouraged! “He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
* This may not be said out loud or even in the person’s head. It may be manifested merely by their actions.
Scripture quotes are taken from:
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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