When I was young there was a-lot of praise associated with drawing inside the lines. My sister was great at it, she could make a coloring book page look perfect. I however struggled to stay in the lines, I did not like the constraints of only coloring the picture that was there and often found myself frustrated. Luckily my dad was a teacher and there was always a huge stack of old photo copies laying around with one blank side. Thank you Dad for feeding my creativity! As I was drawing this I thought a-lot about how God asks us to trust him even when it takes us outside our comfort zone. He wants to take us beyond the boarders that typically frame us in. My prayer today is that I will trust God to take me outside the lines that I know and that I would be willing to step into the blank page he has ready for me. I am preparing for another mission trip to the Amazon this year and there are many unknowns. If you feel led I would appreciate prayer that I would submit to God every step of the way.
Question to ponder: How is God asking you to color outside the lines in your own life?
Romans 7:4-7
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Beautiful image and beautiful focus.
ReplyDelete"My prayer today is that I will trust God to take me outside the lines that I know and that I would be willing to step into the blank page he has ready for me."
Feeling that blank page...Scary place to go sometimes...but good.
Yes, a blank page typically starts with a bit of nerves.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool, Patrick. My Grandmother was a painter & she said you had to let the picture be beyond the frame. It was good advice in many ways. (I wrote a poem about this which you can find here http://poeticdiversions.blogspot.com/2009/02/frame-of-reference.html).
ReplyDeleteI stepped outside the lines with God this last week when I shared at ECS chapel. I didn't know how some things I said would be received (do we ever know that 100%?). But the Lord was faithful. I ministered & was ministered to :)
Thanks for the post :)
Yes Yes Yes. This is it! This expansion in the edge of your work is gaining depth of meaning and greater freedom to let those well nurtured roots and branches grow out into new places. Excited for you brother, Bravo!
ReplyDeleteTeague,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the story. Sounds like your grandma was an interesting lady. I am glad to hear that your talk at ECS went well and that God challenged you through it.
Austin, thank you for the encouragement. God is speaking to me through your comment.