Finding our center in the midst of swirling confusion
In Vincent Van Gogh's well-known painting, “The Starry Night,” the swirling images in the sky can remind us of all the confusion that is around us today. We have had most of 2020 to deal with the coronavirus and its staggering impact, the faltering economy, employment uncertainties, political and racial unrest. It continues to surround us even as I write this.
Wouldn’t it be helpful to be reminded that God is in our midst?
While the temptation is to be so easily distracted by a contentious presidential race, the sorrow of missing our friends and family, of not being able to worship together, we need the challenge to center our thoughts and our hearts on the presence of God. We can find ourselves looking at the swirling confusion that is engulfing our lives and miss the quiet stillness of the loving Father who still loves us and embraces us in his arms.
In Van Gogh's painting, our eyes are caught up by the brush work of stars and clouds and moon. We can easily miss the spire of the church below. And yet for many art critics and historians, that church is the center point, the anchor of the painting, drawing the eye earthward.
Do we need to find our anchor again? Where do we look? The spire gives us that clue that you will most certainly find your anchor in the faithful presence of God. The center point, the stable point is no one other than Jesus Christ, God's provision for us.
The hope of God’s presence and provision is the same message we share with those in South America. The countries served by JEMS currently are Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The message is that there is an answer in Jesus Christ and the message of the gospel. Could it be that in the midst of all political rhetoric and the contradicting statements about the pandemic, that we need to recommit ourselves to that very same message? To focus again on the spire that grounds us from the swirling confusion of the starry night?
May you find your spiritual center in the person of Christ today.
Blessings to you
Pastor John
Note and credit: The analysis of Van Gogh's "The Starry Night," is cited from Makoto Fujimura's commencement address at BIOLA University, May 26, 2012.
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