I got a sweet invitation the other day.
I got an invitation to a poetry night and what I witnessed was – to say the least – breathtaking!
I saw gifted young men ad women, several of them, putting color to the queen’s language, rhyming and flowing, singing and heaping praise.
One thing though about the beautiful night seemed odd.
Most of the night’s rhyming and singing and praising and flowing ultimately pointed to something – apart from the source.
All the night’s creativity was a means to an end .
And the end was – well – not God .
And that kind of got my attention away from the popcorn in my hands as I kept musing .
How can we rhyme about mountains without rhyming about the one in whose presence “Mountains melt like wax? (Ps 97:5)? ”
How can we sing about the sun’s beauty without singing about the “sun of righteousness that rises with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2)
How can we tell people about love,without reminding them that ,actually, “greater love has none than this that he lay down his life for his friends”? (John 15:13) “
I mean, who talks about pleasure and forgets that “at his right hand are pleasures forever more” (Ps16:11)
Who?
And I am talking to y’all musicians, word lovers, poets, who supply us with the finest sound, literature painting and imagery.
Do we even get the idea that “all of creation testifies about God’s eternal power” (Rom 1:20)?
How dare we make a woman’s body an object of our piece without recognizing the grandeur of the one who curved her “in her mother’s womb” (Ps 139:13)?
Well, you say, wait Eddie, you saying all art should be religious?
No, I am just saying the obvious, rivers have a source and leopards have spots, .same way cocks crow and birds whistle. All art that exults creation should never disappoint at pointing us to the source.
Sex doesn’t deserve our greatest praise; it wasn’t even our idea- for crying out loud! Romance isn’t our highest aspiration, peace with God and reconciliation through Christ is. (2Cor 5:19)
Talk of r-e-a-l n-e-e-d!
Next time you hear a great song, smell a great plant, touch a great painting, bite into a juicy apple.
Or even see a great woman (yes), pause, before you praise, and remember.
Creation testifies – and that’s what truly satisfies.
Danke…. And i want to say thank you to the crator who gave you this piece because it belongs to him also ps. 24 : 1
true bro…
got Crae in my ears doing the same over here.
Eddie, you make an interesting observation in this piece, even though the recommendation is a bit gray at the end of it,
allow me propose one not too far from the tree.
I propose that whenever we come across an act, a trait or even a item that exudes God’s majesty and glory, I propose that at the back of our minds just like you hinted on, we should give God the glory and thanks before we move ahead to extend it to the other party weather in form of poetry, a blog, speech or whatever medium of communication we prefer.
In my opinion in some instances we may say it aloud however I believe we must be careful not to “throw precious diamonds” to pigs.
I hope you catch my drift, nevertheless, thank you very much, it is a good reminder you have relayed.
I was there on that night.
Quite frankly, I saw Christ’s love for me in a few of the poems there. I guess it is with what glasses we choose to see things.
Talk of love resonates in every soul. Without seeing Him of course we can never really truly see love.
I would have said more but interesting piece.
Sure,Henry,sure-thanks. “precious pearls to swine” indeed!,our “omega” is God indeed ,not a woman’s curves nor a beautiful mountain. and yep,our minds should be renewed hard and long to learn to look through artiste performances and savor the the majesty of our God. In a celebrity obsessed culture like ours- where man’s talent and his gifts are often epitome.We are in urgent need of renewed minds -able to give accord real praise,to whom it belongs #I Lord start with my mind
Sure,Henry,sure-thanks. “precious pearls to swine” indeed!,our “omega” is God indeed ,not a woman’s curves nor a beautiful mountain. and yep,our minds should be renewed hard and long to learn to look through artiste performances and savor the the majesty of our God. In a celebrity obsessed culture like ours- where man’s talent and his gifts are often epitome.We are in urgent need of renewed minds -able to give accord real praise,to whom it belongs #I Lord start with my mind