Day 20 of Lent

Twenty days, so far, of coming to the computer keys and the easel, every day. Twenty more days until Lent is complete…

…and I already never want to go back to who I was just twenty days ago.

When I hear the life of Jesus taught about in churches, classes, and courses, the overwhelming emphasis has been on His supernatural ministry. I understand that, but the older I get, my soul finds an almost equally great emphasis on the very ordinary life of Jesus.

Yes, He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, and multiplied food. He walked on water, read minds, and turned water into wine. He did so many miracles that they could not be numbered, and He did it all in a bit over three years’ time.

Which means, for thirty years Christ caught, gutted, and filleted more fish than He blessed, broke and multiplied. He grilled countless fish over an open flame, yet He materialized money in the mouth of one. He spent miles and miles (and miles) walking dirty, dusty roads, while spending only moments walking on water. He took delight in carpentry, flowers, and weddings. He studied the Word of God for many more years than He preached it. He made blind eyes see, but He also made a lot of tables that were beautiful to see.

And because there was that span of time that God spent making, my time spent making is made sacred. Because God took the time - no reason to think otherwise - apprenticing Himself to a master carpenter (much like He submitted Himself to the teachers of the law) the time I spend learning technical excellence in my art practice is time I spend learning to be like Jesus.

This is my theology of making.