To LEAN is to trust that God knows what He’s doing.
“You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest.
Eight artists sat around a table with me. Listening to one of my favorite songs, “Just Give Me Jesus” by Fernando Ortega, we had just enjoyed a wonderful worship time together. Then a thought came to me, a rather unusual thought. I didn’t understand it, but I spoke it anyway, “Let’s gather in small groups of two or three and create something together.”
The looks on their faces ranged from surprise to “What did you just say?” I had to smile. I’ve been in leadership a long time, and even I was wondering how that was going to work. It worked fabulous with singers, dancers, and writers, but artists? Hmmmm.
But being the adventurous souls they were, they proceeded to “work together,” talking, sharing, conceptualizing, and sketching. The result was our very first Great Commission art piece.
A group of three produced a painting of an imprisoned man seated in his cell reading the Word of God. A bright light was shining through the barred window, and he appeared to be deep in thought and peace. It was lovely.
I called a prison ministry friend and asked what he thought about it. He took it with him on his next visit, and they put the painting in their library.
Yes, God knows exactly what He’s doing, even if it seems surprising or unusual to us.
© Marianne McDonough, 2024