Perspective can be tricky….be careful <3

Today is a day I wish I could just do a video instead of type my thoughts to you. It is going to involve a great deal of cooperation between you and me for this to make sense. I am praying for the words to express the picture and for your mind to be able to grasp the concept of the opening part and that it all comes together to make a good illustration….no pun intended. 

One of the things I have joyfully added to my week is attending a Bible Art Journaling group. Summer hours have made it hit or miss, but I sure miss it when I can’t hit it. It is a place of creative space centered on growing in wisdom and knowledge and worship of the Lord and it is food for my soul. 

We share ways to express our thoughts using art and I learn so much from our leader and those who attend. One of the teachings we had was using mixed media paper and water colors. 

As paper was passed out to us, our wonderful teacher explained that we needed to find the right side of the paper and how one side had more texture. Being adult students, we were all busy chattering during the instructions and my seat mate asked me which side was correct. 

I told her I assumed it was the side I had facing up because the perforations were on the left side, thus the paper would have been torn from that direction. I felt pretty smart because math and science are not my strong suits and I believe logic falls under those areas. 

Okay, I am not quite certain about that, but I’m not good at logic either and so this seemed like a real growth spurt for me. And then our fearless leader smiled and pointed out with a measure of grace that made me love her even more, that if you turn the paper the other way and upside down, the perforations are still on the left… but you are on the back side. 

Wow. 

Never had even occurred to me. 

If she hadn’t said anything, I would have gone on blissfully in my narrow ignorance. 

So now I am going to take a leap here and say that I see this happening a lot with the use of Scripture and prayer. 

We are a nation divided into splintering groups. 

And on all sides and down the middle are Christians who want to be on God’s side. but use the same Scriptures and prayers for the things of men. We are to pray for our nation. We are to pray for our leaders, but from God’s perspective and not our political party sidings. 

In truth, we do not know what God’s plan for America is. You do not have to spend a lot of time in the Old Testament to realize that His ways are not our ways. 

One of our worship leaders read a prayer for the nation recently and it is powerful. I struggle with how to pray and her words gave me a direction. When I listened in agreement, I refused to put any specific person/leader/name in places. 

For all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God, even me. 

I am sharing the link for the prayer here. 

https://www.prayerinstitute.com/prayer/a-prayer-for-our-political-leaders-local-state-and-national/

I urge you to pray it, remembering that you may have the perforations of your paper turned upside down or right side up…only God knows. Pray with love and grace and mercy for the city, state and country you call home <3