When God speaks, we may not always listen. Perhaps, it’s because we didn’t recognize that He was speaking. Or, maybe we did and chose to ignore His command. I’m guilty of both. I’ve found that oftentimes when I miss a message from Him, for whatever reason, He speaks again to reinforce it and to make sure I get it.
He gave me a gentle nudge today during church service. I’ll write about that in a bit, but for this all to make sense, I need to rewind first.
Each year, I put together a calendar that features a piece of artwork for each month of the coming year. Each calendar page includes the “story behind the artwork” next to the photo of the artwork I chose to feature for that given month.
On September 1, a week ago, I flipped the page of my copy of the calendar from August to September. From the bird that I had painted and featured for this month came a reminder to “Sing His Praise”. The story behind the artwork includes the text of Luke 12:24, which reads as follows:
“Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?”
This verse tells us that God provides everything the birds need…so there is no reason for us to feel that He won’t do the same for us. The artwork (“Sing His Praise”) featured on the September calendar page and the entire story behind it are shown below.
I had been going through a few days of discouragement as relates to my art and business, for a few different reasons. I became frustrated at the progress I was making on an art piece, frustrated by sales lower than normal for the past couple months (my studio is the main source of income that I contribute to my family), and frustrated by my recent lack of enthusiasm and inspiration. This calendar page was put in front of me on the day I needed to be reminded to have faith and trust in God to provide all I need. Yet, all week, the discouragement continued and grew until I became worried and anxious. From time to time, for one reason or another, I question my path. Is this artistic journey really the path I’m supposed to be traveling? Thoughts such as these bombarded me all week. I should have listened to my own words recorded in the story behind “Sing His Praise”, for many of them come directly from God’s teachings in the Bible. Praise Him in all times and He will provide. But the sinner in me took over this week. I didn’t praise Him, even through the hard times, as I should have. Instead, I questioned Him. It’s difficult for me to admit that to my readers and to myself, but the truth must be told for this blog post to make sense.
Back to today’s church service, which was held outside at a local park. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining brightly. Autumn’s chill was in the air. Birds were chirping. When Pastor George began his message, he read some verses from Matthew, Chapter 6, including this one:
“Look at the birds in the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
No, it wasn’t the same Bible verse as the one I included in the story behind “Sing His Praise”. It wasn’t even a verse from the same Book of the Bible. But still, the words were similar enough to the verse I did include that I recognized the similarity, and the lesson within it, immediately. What are the chances, with all the verses in the Bible, that a verse carrying the same basic words and message would form the basis for this morning’s message? No one will ever convince me this was a coincidence. It’s happened too many times for it to be coincidental. Apparently, I needed to again hear the same message that initially spoke to me from the calendar’s September page, and God made it recognizable enough that I didn’t miss it.
Through his message this morning, Pastor George delivered God’s reminder to me that we must always Sing His Praise, in good times and bad, for He will always provide everything we need. This was God’s gentle nudge to me today…His way of saying “You didn’t get the message last week, so here it is again. Art is the path I have chosen for you. Trust me and don’t be discouraged. I’ve got this!”
Thanks be to God for His ways of teaching and all the forms His messages come in…for the nudges…for the reminders that I need from time to time. May He forgive me for the times I question His plan…for the times I stumble on the path He has set out before me…and for the times I forget to “Sing His Praise” for providing all I need. I heard you loud and clear today, God. “Listen the first time!”