Good News

That we are the “sent ones” with good news for a hopeless world is an awe inspiring thought! Yet most of us feel particularly inadequate for the task. Certain that we don’t possess the skills to express even the simplest of human emotions, spreading the gospel with our creativity appears impossibly monumental. Yet we’ve been given this precious message - good news that has the potential to transform lives.

Jesus commanded us to share it.

Into the Light, Acrylic on Paper, Sara JosephInto the Light, Acrylic on Paper, Sara Joseph

"To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luk 1:79

I enjoy exploring ways of obeying that command with art. Perhaps I can convince you that by simply being willing to do so and leaving the outcome to Him, you too can experience the thrill of obeying!

Trepidation about the mission is usually because of a lack of clarity about the enormity of this good news.

  • Do you know what the good news is?
  • Has your life radically changed because of your relationship with Jesus?
  • Are you convinced of God’s involvement in the details of your life?
  • Is that experience not so wonderful that it would make you uncomfortable to sit silently, while His name and character are maligned by those who do not yet know Him?

  Our desire to recommend or suggest something, whether it is a new book, movie, or restaurant is based solely on the delight that we found in it.  If we were inspired by the book, moved to tears by the movie, or found the food delectable, telling everyone we know is effortless. We don’t have to muster up courage or prepare a speech to convey our enthusiasm - it just flows from within us. 

  Why is it any different with the good news of our relationship with the Lord Jesus?

 If we have experienced its vitality, we cannot then be neutral or bland about it.

 Take some time to think deeply on where you are in your journey with the Lord.

  • What has happened in your life which was undoubtedly His doing?
  • What was your life like before and how has it changed since knowing Him?

  That knowledge (however meager it may seem to you) according to the Bible, is unique “treasure” in your “jar of clay”. The world is hungry for for an authentic expression of it.  It is priceless knowledge that you are asked to share. Spreading this abroad, with whatever means He has provided, is what Jesus meant when He asked you to “go therefore into all the world…”

That is the mission.

  It is relatively easy to talk about it with others compared to creatively expressing it in art, music or dance. That is by far a greater challenge. As artists, we are blessed with some measure of fluency in non verbal languages with the capacity to reach the depths of a human soul. We can creatively engage whatever our medium of expression, whether it is paint, fabric, words, clay, glass, music, dance… in order to express nuances of our treasure.

   Living the artistic life with Jesus is uncomplicated. His yoke is truly easy and His burden is light!

All we have to do is show up for the mission. Be willing. Accept the challenge.

  Step into wherever you create art - your little closet, study, studio, kitchen table…  and invite Him to help you and He will. It is as simple as that. I know that sounds trite, but it is what it is.

  Faith is necessary, which is unfortunately, a stumbling block for a lot of people. Receiving from Him what you could never accomplish on your own is an amazing experience, but it does require faith. It requires ignoring your own ability, or lack of it, while at the same time releasing faith in His. You must also trust in His willingness to join you in the process. I do it all the time and you can too!

  When you ask for His help, exercise faith. Expect it, believe it and receive it. Faith is only faith if, when you exercise it, there is not much to show for it. Otherwise it would not be called faith!

Don’t expect to believe, AFTER you receive it. 

Faith does not work that way. The order is important.

You must FIRST choose to believe that you HAVE received, as you ask for help.

Then you will receive. 

This is vital and is easily overlooked, much to the frustration of many.

Remember we “walk by faith and not by sight”.

Seeing is not believing, believing is seeing!

 Suspend criticism of your own ability - you are no longer working on your own! That is good news! 

If you do not exercise faith and insist on being skeptical, you will sadly never experience the joy of having His help. But I know that you would not do that!

So let me encourage you, friend, that the labor of the laborer is simply to show up ready to work with Him. Then as you do your little bit, He will do the rest.

Is that not so beautifully expressed in this account of the first “sent ones”?

"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go."  Luke 10:1

These "sent ones" only had to be willing to go ahead of Him. Jesus was planning to show up everywhere they went first.

Surely we can do the same! That is good news to us, as we bring His message of life to whomever we are sent.

He is unchanged.  Today, although our message is the same as the early Christians, we will not be trekking the Galilean countryside. Instead, our creative endeavors with the Lord's presence and participation will reach others as only art can, and as only our unique story can.

He will lead you to your audience.

When you create in faith, trusting in Him to keep His word, He will show up.

There is no greater joy than being in His presence, when in union with Him, you explore arenas that you could never have on your own!

I testify to plenty of such precious hours in the studio and promise you that if you trust Jesus, you can enjoy them too!

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