牧者心聲 Pastor's Message
09/06/2009
A Work of Art
My philosophy professor in seminary explained to us once that in
order to appreciate art, we are to take our time. All too often, we rush
through a museum, trying to get all the sights in because we paid the
admission fee and need to get the most out of it. This is why he admires
the UK, and how national art museums have free entrance. Instead
of running helter-skelter through the museum trying to make sure you
see every painting-sculpture-bust-carving-glaze-mold-ceramic-pot-glassmetal-
utencil-you-name-it, you stop for 30 seconds, a minute, maybe two.
Sit down and admire the work. That’s what the benches are there for (and
also if you get tired).
That’s what I kept in mind today as I visited the deYoung
museum, since entrance was free. (You can go in for free on the first
Tuesday of the month.) I discovered several things as I did so:
- Art tells us about the culture during a specific time period.
- There is both organized structure, but also freedom in art.
- Like music, art affects our emotions. Art isn’t done out of
necessity. It is meant to be experienced and appreciated.
An interesting piece of art at the museum is a painting dating
from 1870 of the Sacramento Train Station. At first glance, and even the
second, I noticed nothing special about the scene. At center stage is a
stagecoach being pulled by two horses. Others are busy at work, hustling
and bustling. I walked away. But then my dad noticed something and
called me back. He pointed to a Chinese day-laborer with the
stereotypical buckets hanging from a pole on his shoulder. Interesting
indeed! Seeing that this was on the right side of the artwork, I decided to
sleuth around and I noticed a black man on the left side, just next to the
train in the picture. Two minorities (if not more) are represented in this
image. Amazing! This artist is keenly aware of the entire setting of his picture.
And this got me into thinking, this is how we are taught to read,
understand, and learn. We need to take our time reflecting on what the
artist is trying to convey. But in the same way, this is how we are to
reflect on what God wants to teach us. As we study his word, as we
appreciate the stories, savor the lessons, relish the glory, or despise the
evil, it is hard for us to do this if we don’t give the Bible time. This is what
happens when we don’t give God time. We see him, we know he’s there.
But we miss the finer details, the minute attributes.
This week, take your time as you do your quiet times. Hide your
clock, turn off your cell phone. Grab your bible and/or devotional and
find a relaxing (but not too relaxing) location to digest and fathom the
artwork that our LORD has given us. And as you do so you may even
comprehend the GREAT ARTIST himself!
Brother Ben
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