"Art is not what you see,
but what you make others see."
~ Edgar Degas
but what you make others see."
~ Edgar Degas
Fascination not Force
#knowingGod
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
~ Psalms 63:1-2 (NKJV)
What first fascinated you about the Lord? What did you learn or see that captured your awe?
My friend Mike Ellis shared this thought: "Christianity spreads best not through force but through fascination." He then asked me, "How do you, I and other Christ followers make Christianity fascinating?"
I do not think we can make Christianity fascinating unless we make Christ Himself fascinating, because He has fascinated us.
However else the Lord captures the awe of others, He seizes my heart with no more than His presence. He draws near when I enter the place of worship, and I bow before His majesty, truth, and love.
It is then a privilege, pleasure and passion for me to even attempt to make Him fascinating to others.
Lord, Your presence is an exquisite and satisfying wonder. We need no more from You than Yourself. How glorious the day when You are ours without distraction.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to
Art of Riek Jonker titled "In Awe" from fineartamerica.com
I am in awe of You Lord, total, complete awe.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true, Anne. A month ago I attended a conference with Shane Claiborne (you got the quote from him, right?), he certainly presents Jesus in a fascinating way!
ReplyDeleteIn God's presence He makes us the fascinating salt of the earth.
This is why I so enjoy coming here...you give great food for thought. Today, as I worship Him with a congregation of others, I will purposely think of all the ways I am fascinated.
ReplyDeleteMy prayer is that I never get so comfortable that I lose the AWE!
Shalom,
Denise
What fascinates me is the complete wholeness one finds in Jesus Christ. My head knows the Truth; my heart feels His love; my spirit sings with in me, and He shines Light through my entire being--and then I forget my being, because in Him I am freed from the shackles of ME. The more of Him I desire, the more He gives, over and over, until I believe I can't contain the joy of His presence, and then He shows me more. Even burden is joy, if it comes from Him.
ReplyDeleteEternally fascinating--He is my all in all!
I cannot remember when I've received comments of such beauty.
ReplyDeleteDenise, I feel the awe in your words all the time.
Leon, I'm glad to have you comment and give me an excuse to finally see your blog. I'll be back.
Denise @SL, I don't know that we lose the awe so much as we fail to see it afresh when we allow ourselves to become weary. The cure for both is to often enter His presence. How I long for the day we cannot leave it!
Gwen, "He shows me even more" is the gasp of a heart in love. You are good for me. :D
Delight yourself also in the LORD,And He shall give you the desires of your heart.Psalm 37:4
ReplyDeleteA desire accomplished is sweet to the soul...Proverbs 13:19
and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.Matthew 18:3
A child knows how to enjoy the moment without baggage of the past or concern for the future.
When I walk in fascination of my Lord,like a child, He rejoices. Joy always draws a crowd.
...In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Psalm 16:11
Fascinating Anne. Thank-you.
I was fascinated by the peace that passes understanding, as I saw it in the faces of believers.
ReplyDeleteDoug, right now I'm smiling with a sigh at all those passages. So, SO glad to have you back from your detours. I'm anxious to make it over to your post. (I'm WAY behind.)
ReplyDeleteRosslyn, is there a lovlier sight on earth than His peace in the face of another?
Thank you for using my image in this blog, I hope it touches your hearts as it brings glory to our Father...bless you all. Love in Christ. Riek Jonker.
ReplyDeleteMr. Jonker, all thanks are to you, for so beautifully capturing the escence of awe. I pray I have done justice to your piece here, and have honored our God. I look forward to the day we meet.
ReplyDeleteYours in His love,
Anne
Family...how wonderful...that is what He is all about! You are welcome to contact us at jonkerfamily@gmail.com - My wife's name is Natalie, also a home schooling mom! Go well. Riek.
ReplyDelete