If you've ever met me, you know I am a quilter. I love to do it. I love to teach others how to do it. I take pride in my work. I am my own worst critic when it comes to precision. Those of you who have received one of my quilts as a gift know that it was a gift of love. I put my heart into my work.
Even though I do my best, I know that I am not just a quilter. That is only part of my identity. God made each one of us to be more than what we do. We are more than what we enjoy or what we are good at. He put His whole heart into His work. He made each of us to serve Him and to share His love with others.
My pastor husband gave a quote Sunday night and, although I can't repeat it verbatim (I wrote it down), its premise has stuck with me. Here's the quote:
"There are two things that always awaken in me, when I comtemplate them, the sentimental sublime. They are the starry heavens and the moral nature of man. Oh, God made them both, and all there is of the sublime in either to in both is but a dim, poor reflection of the glory of him who made them, Whatever there is in this world that is suited to lift up men's souls at all ought to lift them toward God." (John A Broadus and Emmanuel Kant)
Now that's a fairly high reading level, but here's how I took it. We are God's creation. He made us in His image. Think of it as a portrait painted of someone. It has a creator as well as a subject. Although the painting may be beautiful, it is nothing compared with the artist or the subject. It may "reflect" both the artist and the subject but it is a dim reflection of both. In the same way, as glorious and wonderful as the heavens are and as unique and complicated as man is, we are a creation and are nothing compared to the Creator.
I like to think of most things that I create as beautiful, or at least tolerable. My quilts reflect me, but they aren't me. They show but a small part of me and sometimes poorly at that. God's creation is a much more beautiful reflection of who he is, but it is nothing compared to the real thing. We are but a dim, poor reflection of God's creation.
Now, don't you think He deserves your best praise, your attention, your whole-hearted worship?
Even though I do my best, I know that I am not just a quilter. That is only part of my identity. God made each one of us to be more than what we do. We are more than what we enjoy or what we are good at. He put His whole heart into His work. He made each of us to serve Him and to share His love with others.
My pastor husband gave a quote Sunday night and, although I can't repeat it verbatim (I wrote it down), its premise has stuck with me. Here's the quote:
"There are two things that always awaken in me, when I comtemplate them, the sentimental sublime. They are the starry heavens and the moral nature of man. Oh, God made them both, and all there is of the sublime in either to in both is but a dim, poor reflection of the glory of him who made them, Whatever there is in this world that is suited to lift up men's souls at all ought to lift them toward God." (John A Broadus and Emmanuel Kant)
Now that's a fairly high reading level, but here's how I took it. We are God's creation. He made us in His image. Think of it as a portrait painted of someone. It has a creator as well as a subject. Although the painting may be beautiful, it is nothing compared with the artist or the subject. It may "reflect" both the artist and the subject but it is a dim reflection of both. In the same way, as glorious and wonderful as the heavens are and as unique and complicated as man is, we are a creation and are nothing compared to the Creator.
I like to think of most things that I create as beautiful, or at least tolerable. My quilts reflect me, but they aren't me. They show but a small part of me and sometimes poorly at that. God's creation is a much more beautiful reflection of who he is, but it is nothing compared to the real thing. We are but a dim, poor reflection of God's creation.
Now, don't you think He deserves your best praise, your attention, your whole-hearted worship?
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