January 22, 2008, Eyes in Which to See

Eyes in Which to See

Matthew 13:13-17
This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Lord I pray that you give me eyes in which to see and ears in which to hear Your truth.
The details of life are missed in the busyness which is all around us, day after day. If we aren't careful the busyness will consume us. It is time to turn on "slow motion" as to not miss a single detail that is within us and around us. As an artist I know first hand the stepping back to examine contrast. Amazingly I have just begun to learn to apply this to my life. There is depth in contrast, and the total moment captured is revealed. And in every canvas or drawing to understand this and apply it gives incredible depth. I have observed over many years in teaching, art students are afraid of deep contrast and hold up when illustrating or painting. It is not possible to see light without dark and the light is brighter when juxaposed to darker darks.

In viewing, it is not possible to see contrast when you are near or in front of the piece in which you are creating whether 2-dimensional or 3. With 3-dimension you must view it completely from all angles. An artist must step back. To see contrast, one cannot look closely at the detail, but farther away or by 'stepping back'. Then the total picture or sculpture emerges with all its contrast and beauty.

In my life and in my desperation, it is easy to want to keep my face to the canvas, but to be totally pleased and to appreciate what is being created, I must walk away and look at the contrast and not the detail of what is being created. Then the final piece will emerge that reflects me. And as the Lord molds me, fills me, uses me, the 'new me' emerges in the canvas of this world.

In every artist's creation there is a portion of their heart and soul.