I love art. In fact, I am in danger of becoming an art hoarder and my house becoming the home version of the illustrated man.
Recently, I had the opportunity to learn how to create a stained glass piece. Let me tell you. That is quite a process.
First, you have to select a pattern and then decide on all the colors and textures of the glass you will use. After that you trace, then cut—and cutting isn’t straight forward as glass tends to cut on straight lines not curves. Because of this property, you have to grind the edges into the exact shape, then wrap each piece with foil so that the tin/lead alloy will adhere and finally solder the pieces together. Oh, and then you apply a polish and wait . . . and wait . . . and wait . . . until it dries before you rub it to a brilliant finish.
Despite all this work, the result—even for a novice—is beautiful. When the light shines through, each piece is illuminated and all the textures and nuances become evident. (The piece in the photo is not the work of this novice but one of her instructors.)
Our lives are very much like a work of stained glass. God has created a perfect plan for each of our lives. It is beautiful. But since He has granted us free will, we often move away from that perfect pattern to do our own thing. However, God is also merciful and redemptive, so despite our pour choices and rebellion, He still creates something beautiful. We might have changed the color of a pane or two or required Him to do a bit of cutting and grinding to fit, but when we surrender and allow Him to work all those broken pieces together and then let His light shine through . . . well . . . our lives become works of art, showing a broken world what wonderful things God can do with broken pieces if we just let Him.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Recently, I had the opportunity to learn how to create a stained glass piece. Let me tell you. That is quite a process.
First, you have to select a pattern and then decide on all the colors and textures of the glass you will use. After that you trace, then cut—and cutting isn’t straight forward as glass tends to cut on straight lines not curves. Because of this property, you have to grind the edges into the exact shape, then wrap each piece with foil so that the tin/lead alloy will adhere and finally solder the pieces together. Oh, and then you apply a polish and wait . . . and wait . . . and wait . . . until it dries before you rub it to a brilliant finish.
Despite all this work, the result—even for a novice—is beautiful. When the light shines through, each piece is illuminated and all the textures and nuances become evident. (The piece in the photo is not the work of this novice but one of her instructors.)
Our lives are very much like a work of stained glass. God has created a perfect plan for each of our lives. It is beautiful. But since He has granted us free will, we often move away from that perfect pattern to do our own thing. However, God is also merciful and redemptive, so despite our pour choices and rebellion, He still creates something beautiful. We might have changed the color of a pane or two or required Him to do a bit of cutting and grinding to fit, but when we surrender and allow Him to work all those broken pieces together and then let His light shine through . . . well . . . our lives become works of art, showing a broken world what wonderful things God can do with broken pieces if we just let Him.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
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