This Painting is Worth the Search

I spotted this painting in Larry’s office. It’s considered a treasure to he and Staci because Payton, their son, painted it for them years ago. In terms of value in dollars and cents, it might not have a high sticker price at the At Home store. But in terms of value in sentiment – priceless.

When Staci and Larry moved into their new town-home here in Frisco Square, Staci and I were on a mission to find items like accent pillows and rugs that would pull the living area together. This painting had the exact colors in it that we were looking for. We headed to the At Home store to find our accessories, toting the painting with us. I put the painting in the shopping cart and we began our search. Before long, we had what we needed, made our purchases and headed back to their home.

The next day, my lightning-fast mind didn’t remember the painting coming out of the car with our purchases. I realized that I must have left the painting in the shopping cart. I called the store and inquired about the painting. No one had seen it, but promised they’d watch for it. Mind you – it is on a canvas, very similar to their paintings. I couldn’t wait. I headed to the store -- spoke to a manager, but it had not shown up. Now, I was in high-energy prayer-mode. What is lost -- must be found! I saw a young man stocking in that area and asked if he had seen it. He said “No, ma’am, but if someone found it without a price on it and took it to check-out, they would probably set a price for it.” That was no comfort at all. Isn’t that just like the enemy who makes us quit believing – to come up with reasons that a relationship can’t be restored or keys or a precious treasure can’t be found?

I would not be denied. I slowly paced up and down the aisles – looking in all the stacks of canvas paintings, and if you know the At Home store, you know they have hundreds and hundreds of paintings. Now, I’m praying in my heavenly prayer language (tongues) – yes, I’m bilingual AND in English. I am interceding and I’m asking all my heavenly support team to intercede for divine intervention with me! God knew right where that painting was and I would not relent. After more than an hour of flipping through paintings, tightly squeezed in between two larger paintings was Payton’s painting. My heart was overcome with gratitude – so much so that tears began to flow. My young store clerk saw me and rejoiced with me. He took this photo that you can see my red, tear-stained face! Oh, happy day!

What once was lost – now was found. Like I said – the price tag would not have been very high to someone else – but it was priceless for us. Did you know that is how priceless we are to God? He paid a great price to redeem mankind. We use the term "priceless" today to illustrate that there is no amount of money on earth that could buy or purchase something "priceless." And, all the wealth of the earth couldn’t purchase man's redemption. It took something of far greater value to pay the price, so God sent the most valuable and precious gift He had, to pay the price for our salvation and that was His dear Son, Jesus. So, in God's eyes we are "priceless." Nothing on earth could purchase us but the value God saw in His Son is the value He sees in us. Thank you, Lord, for the incomparable price you paid for us. And, as for you and me, our Lord calls us "priceless" too, so we should start treating ourselves and others as treasures -- like God does!
"For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:20

God Reaching Out to Man; Man Reaching Out for God

At the discipleship training I attend on Tuesday nights, this beautiful picture of Michelangelo's painting of "The Creation of Adam", on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, was shown on a large screen. This famous image is God and Adam reaching for each other with their arms outstretched. It took Michelangelo four years, from 1508-1512, to paint the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with a series of frescoes that portrayed several biblical stories.

I was in Rome for the second time in June of this year, and I was no less in awe and wonder when I witnessed the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel again, than I was the first time. Michelangelo was 33 years old when he undauntedly “created” and painted the chapel. Though he had apprenticed with a well-known fresco painter in His youth, his talent was in sculpting (i.e. his David and the Pieta statutes). He was a brilliant sculptor, not known for his painting, but that changed when he was commissioned to paint the Sistine Chapel. Can you imagine painting, standing on a scaffold (that he invented) for hours on end with his neck blocked to paint that ceiling? He suffered so much pain during the process. We know that God orchestrated that creativity, and from his works of God, he knew God.

That photo was shown to us to point out God’s finger reaching out to Adam and Adam reaching to God. Since the beginning of time, God has been reaching out to man. We heard two conversion stories of God reaching out to point the way. The first was about the tax collector, Matthew, and how he was hand-picked by Jesus, who probably pointed his finger at him and said “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9-13). Imagine that experience. Matthew immediately got up and followed Him. He was #7 of the disciples chosen by the Master to be on His elite disciple team! The second conversion we heard about was Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman who was coming to draw water at the well at noon day. This day, at noon, the brilliance of the sun, rather THE SON, was brightest. John said in 4:9, “Jews had no dealings with Samaritans” and being a woman presented another obstacle. Jewish men didn't speak to women in public (John 4:27), But Jesus still reached out to this woman and through His love and tenderness led her to her truth and HIS truth and she became the first evangelist as she spread the word about Jesus. Matthew was touched. The Samaritan woman was touched.

Since the beginning of time, God has been reaching out to His creation to touch and be touched. In so many conversion encounters Jesus reached out to all, but, particularly to those who were broken, hurting, rejected and the worst of sinners.

I was inspired to write this post when I saw that painting and that depiction of God reaching out to man, and man reaching out to God. Oh, that we would be that man reaching out to our loving and caring God. No situation is too difficult. All it takes is a humble heart; an attitude that we depend on the guidance and strength of God our Father and the saving grace of the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. When Jesus pointed His finger to Matthew and said “Follow me”, Matthew followed. The Samaritan woman responded to that hand reaching out to her.

That hand is outstretched to you and me. May we reach out to Him today. He’s there, able to help us in our time of need. He is our great healer. May we reach out to Jesus and be comforted. May we reach out to Jesus and find rest for our souls. Use this photo of God's hand reaching to you, and visualize you reaching back to Him. God is always there with His arms open wide.