*It may be good to note that this word here for "behold" is "eidō" which means "see and know."
In a book called An Anthropologists On Mars, there is an account of a painter who, in 1986, was in a car accident and lost his ability to see – or remember, or even think in – colors. This artist had a particular affection for colors. In fact, he experienced other art-forms, expressions, and even senses with acute synesthesia; meaning that his mind translated all of the experiences (such as music) to the ebb and flow of colors.
In a book called An Anthropologists On Mars, there is an account of a painter who, in 1986, was in a car accident and lost his ability to see – or remember, or even think in – colors. This artist had a particular affection for colors. In fact, he experienced other art-forms, expressions, and even senses with acute synesthesia; meaning that his mind translated all of the experiences (such as music) to the ebb and flow of colors.
Half of the man's story is his inevitable plunge into dark depression as his understanding of life's beauty vanished, and the things he once experienced with great colorful wonder he now struggled to connect any emotional attachment to. For example, his description of his wife's skin suddenly changing from its normal flesh tone to a "rat-colored" gray is something too gruesome to imagine overnight. Life simply became un-beautiful, by all previous personal definitions.
The second half of the artist's account (and my favorite half), however, begins with an early morning's sunrise:
"The sun rose like a bomb, like some enormous nuclear explosion... Had anyone ever seen a sunrise in this way before?"
The view inspired the first of a lifetime of black and white paintings. More importantly, our artist felt, for the first time since his tragedy, a sense of personal purpose. He had a reason to be the artist he felt life had called him to be. His identity resurrected inside of him. This single morning, for this artist, stood in the gap between a downward spiraling staircase into a life of torturous meaninglessness and the grace to live a meaningful life. Arguably, this experience enlivened an even rarer and more special purpose than previously known.
The second half of the artist's account (and my favorite half), however, begins with an early morning's sunrise:
"The sun rose like a bomb, like some enormous nuclear explosion... Had anyone ever seen a sunrise in this way before?"
The view inspired the first of a lifetime of black and white paintings. More importantly, our artist felt, for the first time since his tragedy, a sense of personal purpose. He had a reason to be the artist he felt life had called him to be. His identity resurrected inside of him. This single morning, for this artist, stood in the gap between a downward spiraling staircase into a life of torturous meaninglessness and the grace to live a meaningful life. Arguably, this experience enlivened an even rarer and more special purpose than previously known.
You see, there is something in purpose that sets our hearts in motion (and vice versa, for that matter); it does something for the human soul that no man can ever do for himself. I'm convinced that we are all continually either seeking purpose, or continually dying without it.
There are things all over this world that make all kinds of people feel alive, valuable, destined, and even purposed – as if they were necessary for the existence of the world. It is an incomparably beautiful event when a person finds purpose and identity in his or her life, and especially so when they realize their identity as a child of G-d. Truth is, this is the peak of human identity, and the greatest purpose any person could hope for.
That is why phrases like this one in 1 John should always stop us in our tracks. I won't make you scroll all the way back up to the top (you lazy slob!), here it is again...
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the some and daughters of G-d..."
Just.... look at that! It's gives breathe not just to all of those things such as art and travel and music, that we find our personal lives happily focused on, but to all of the other scriptures in the whole of the word of G-d. It is the "because" in every phrase where Daddy asks anything of us as well as in every instance where He is constantly from forever to forever doing things for you!
You were made by love, for love, to love.
The Maker of the Universe calls you child – I encourage you to react to that in whatever way seems fit.
**Hayden plays bass in two incredible band that I listen to on a very regular basis - The Collection (whose music can be found HERE) and ElisaRay (whose music can be found HERE)
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the some and daughters of G-d..."
Just.... look at that! It's gives breathe not just to all of those things such as art and travel and music, that we find our personal lives happily focused on, but to all of the other scriptures in the whole of the word of G-d. It is the "because" in every phrase where Daddy asks anything of us as well as in every instance where He is constantly from forever to forever doing things for you!
You were made by love, for love, to love.
The Maker of the Universe calls you child – I encourage you to react to that in whatever way seems fit.
**Hayden plays bass in two incredible band that I listen to on a very regular basis - The Collection (whose music can be found HERE) and ElisaRay (whose music can be found HERE)