An hour at the art museum

  I have developed a fascination with photography over the last several years.  I like looking at pictures, especially sport orientated photos.  When I heard that a local art museum (Tweed museum on the UMD Campus) had a new showing of someones photography work, so I went and I checked it out.  The pictures were good, but what caught my attention was a big painting that was on the wall.  The painting was of a person in chains wearing noting but a loin cloth and he has been beaten.  The person is looking towards the sky with a smile on his face.  There is also a solider and other people surrounding him.  As I learned with art, it is open for interpretation.  Five people can look at the same piece of work and get five different meanings.  So, I asked about the painting and a person who works at the museum went and found some information on the piece.  The piece of artwork happened to be a rendition of the martyr of St Blaise, who was a fourth century Christian who liked to spend time out in the woods in prayer and contemplation.  He was also a friend of animals and people often compared him to St Francis.  There is a fokelore has it that he also had the gift of healing. 

 As I did some pondering over the painting, it really had me captivated.  I thought of the Apostle Paul and how this picture could be him.  He had spent much time in prison and he even written several of his epistles from the jail cell.  During these letters, Paul is not only praising God despite of his circumstances, but also encouraging others from his cell.  Paul had a different view of prison than I would if I were ever in prison.  he wrote to the Philippian Church that because of him being in prison that others were coming to know Christ as their Savior (1:12-14).  Or in His letter to the Ephesians is that he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the sake of the Gentiles (3:1).  Or that he is an ambassador in chains and that he must boldly speak the cause of Christ (6:20.  Or to the church in Colossians  that he was rejoicing for suffering for the others and those who have done the same (1:24). 

   I have never been locked up in jail for any amount of time, and I would imagine it wouldn't be a very pleasant stay.  But here is the thing, no matter if we have ever been in jail for a day, week, month, or years, or never, we all have or had life opportunities where we felt like we were in prison.  Could it be the loss of a spouse, a bad health diagnosis, a troubled relationship, a bad job or no job.   In each of these situations, it we are given the opportunity to get out of, make it better, or just make it go away, we would.  Here's the thing, are we grumbling about our current circumstances, or praising God.  God has a bigger purpose than just to keep us happy.  There things that happen because we live in a fallen world and we have to suffer the consequences.  Are we going to let life's circumstances where us down, or are we going to give thanks in all things, no matter how bad they get.  When I give thanks to God for every situation, it is a realization that it is not about me.  It is also realizing that even if we live in a fallen world, we still have a Savior that holds the future.  When giving thanks for the presence circumstances (even though we might not like or enjoy it) to move forward.  Every day we are given the opportunity to grow in grace and maturity, or to do nothing, which usually ends up as regression.

  Having a grateful heart is not the last stop in life, it is what we do with that gratitude is what makes the difference.  Having a grateful heart means action.  It means living at peace with family and friends.  Seeking forgiveness when wrong is done and bestowing forgiveness when wrong is done to you.  It is loving and being patient with people who are just plain hard to be with.  It is having joy in every circumstance, not matter if we just got a batch of homemade cookies or cut off in traffic.  The Apostle Paul was in prison for preaching the Gospeland he had every right to be mean, hateful and bitter, but he chose not too.