Friday, October 22, 2010

A Gazillion Megapixels!

What if God were an Artist? You don't have to look far for evidence of this. His canvas is huge, the Night Sky so mesmerizing, the early morning sunrise so promising, all colors we steal from Nature and we are humbled and left in awe. How it all works we do not understand but even hurricanes and firestorms are cleansing and promise new growth.
Now suppose He gave this to us all at once, everything. What would you say if asked was it enough? Why is it we always want more when we dont make use of what we have?

The NorthWest Coastal American Indians invented the "potlatch", the term now being our "potluck" dinner. This was actually a pleasant type of warfare, the winning chief was the tribe that brought the most to the table, not just food, but gifts of animal skins, even canoes, the best of what they could give away! What a wonderful tradition! God gives so much and also gives us our ability to share what we have.

I wonder sometimes when we hear of people in need, why is it that we want to pray for them?
Are we now asking God to create MORE? Would we ever really admit that what we are asking
is "please, God, let me keep everything I have, but make some more for them"? I think we pray
because it is easier than giviong up our lattes. We pray because we want someone else to do it.
We have our stuff and we pray that you get yours!

I am skeptical of prayer and never pray for things for me or for others. I pray for appreciation
that I could be satisfied with less than I have. I pray for strength that gives me appreciation.
I pray for courage to give me that strength. I have never prayed for more but to make good use of what I have, and sometimes, often, the answer is to give it away!

I think God is an artist and we are here to appreciate His work.

1 comment:

Ruby said...

I have two sisters who do all my praying - and perhaps it is good that they do.
My ex-spouse could never understand that I did'nt 'need'! A big house, a big car, a big this and that. Simplicity I believe is the key to enjoying the beauty and wonder we are so privileged to have surround us.
And, of course, having been raised with 'make do with what you have'; and to make it do many things I have carried this philosphy all my life.
But I must say I am over joyed when someone else reaps unexpected harvest. I have a cousin who has had so much of nothing all her life - she had plenty of nothing to share. She has suddenly come up with a windfall and it couldn't have happened to a finer person. But, then she never asked for 'more'.