“Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.
He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.” Job 14:1-2
Once I never considered the passage of time. Now I find myself on high alert, watching the clock ticking—loudly!
One could argue that thinking about time is the preoccupation of those who've lived long, or rather those who suddenly feel like they've lived long!
Time is extraordinary. We're all granted the same measure each day. What we do with it is left entirely up to us. Autonomy is such a costly gift!
I view time as a precious currency. Too many tasks seem urgent, yet I'm determined to narrow my focus. Although not always successful, nurturing that intention helps me not waste time.
As contemporary Christian artists, we have the unique privilege of sharing our faith through our art to a worldwide audience. The technology that makes showcasing art effortless is both a gift and a curse.
I'm truly grateful that I no longer have gatekeepers preventing my art from being viewed and enjoyed, because my work did not comply with someone's arbitrary standards of beauty or excellence. The internet has leveled the playing field. Anyone (and everyone) can share content—exceptional, good or ugly! Jurors, museum curators, art critics, and publicists no longer have the last word on our creative efforts. It's possible to build an online community of interested art collectors.
But it takes time to photograph art, create a video post or write about my work for a blog. Any activity not directly related to the creation of art bugs me. Even if I know it's necessary, I view it as a drain on my time!
Juggling the work of the marketer, publicist, and gallery rep takes time away from making art. In my view, outsourcing that work to someone else is inauthentic. After all, I am the artist! I know the most about anything I create—its motivations and inspirations. Using AI software specifically made for artists putting words to their work is the most disingenuous. I may one day find a happy middle ground, but that hasn't happened as yet!
Actual time creating art is precious, regardless of the output. Time spent making mistakes, correcting them, and experimenting with ideas does not always result in exceptional work. It usually takes many hours of mediocrity before some work exhibits any sort of pleasing quality.
Expressing my faith in multiple media keeps me pushing my own boundaries of competence. Art is, for me, more than managing value, shape and texture. It's also more than style, media, or any other tangible feature.
It is spiritual—the fruit of fellowship with the Lord. Often funny, practical conversations that suddenly and unexpectedly become deep, yet never lofty or mystical—I don't want to leave anyone with the wrong impression:)
The overflow of those conversations do not always translate into finished works. In our frantically busy lives, that precious time cannot be pinned down or defined, yet it's never a waste. There seems to be no apparent reward, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is full of life sustaining and creative power! Time spent with Him is, somehow, divinely multiplied and redeemed from the drudgery of the rest. No one else can infuse our lives with the supernatural like He does.
Without Him actively pouring into me, I'd have nothing to pour out. I'm grateful I learned that early!
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."
Hebrews 12:28
We serve God in a shaking world—a bizarre concept! If we do not grasp this, we're no different from those around us who do not know Him. Our time on earth in our fleshly bodies is brief, but that's not the end of our story.
As far as possible, our days are to be spent turning heavenward in reverence working towards eternal outcomes. It sounds grand, I know. The truth is the opposite. Anything, and everything, we do on earth IS pitiful. We're like a fleeting shadow and a flower that fades away. There's no escaping that.
So why bother? How can a portrait, landscape or floral painting have any eternal significance?
If, created with God in mind, as a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise unto Him, or as the fruit of fellowship with Him, it becomes transformed into a radiant witness!
God alone adds significance to our meager efforts. It is He who accepts our offerings of faith. It is He who recognizes our desire to "serve acceptably with reverence and godly fear." It is He, who then blesses those efforts with meaning and significance.
Finally, He reveals for whom that work was intended, enriching the life of another that I was unaware I could ever touch.
So redeem your time by serving Him—and leave the rest to Him. He is always faithful.
So well written and inspiring. Carrying on….