Dear Brother Benjamin,
This morning I attended an Anglican church.
Over one hundred years old, this building made of brick and stone holds worship services based on age old traditions. A steeple rose high above the compound. Hymnals and prayer books sat stacked on an old wooden stand. The pews were of carved wood and at their base were prayer cushions for worshipers to kneel. The windows were stained glass framed under beautiful arches. The women entered the church and with sovereign reverence pulled their scarves over their heads.
From all my travels and visiting churches, I've never seen anything quite like this. I've never experienced a service more beautifully reverent. I think you would have been as awe struck as I.
I confess, the formal service was heartfelt and sincere, but far more worshipful than most churches I have attended. Perhaps the stillness and quiet limited distractions. Perhaps the speaking of the church together in unison provided a focus. Perhaps the solemn atmosphere directed attention to a throne room that is other worldly.
I am not altogether sure, even now, how or why, but in those few hours I felt with absolute certainty that God was filled with pleasure at the worship of His people. And despite everything you and I have discussed regarding churches and their organized worship services, I think I would like to go back every now and then. And I think you would have been as awe struck as I.
Perhaps that holy, reverent, still, and quiet worship is something that we all need from time to time. The removal of personalities and preferences, performances and projectors actually gave me the ability to focus my vision as if we were in the very throne room of God. I am not saying that such things in their place are irreverent - not at all. But the removal of these elements provided for an opportunity to focus, wholly and incomparably on the worship of God.
It makes me wonder what our lives would look like if we were able to simplify. Remove all distractions of emotionalism, intellectualism, personalities, and trends enough to make God the everything of day to day worship. Would my idea of fellowship with Him be different? Would my attention span to still and quiet meditation become more lasting? Could my expectation change; be transformed from a worship that is led by entertainment, to a worship that is led by the still and small voice of God?
It actually causes me to question my own creation of art. Are my photos or projects artistic pieces that entertain, or that allow people to see the Holiness of God, and inspire a life of worshipful reverence? In the end, that is what I want my art to inspire. And that is what I want to live by.
Don't you?
Luv you bro.
Don't you?
Luv you bro.
Christina
Posts
" Are my photos or projects artistic pieces that entertain, or that allow people to see the Holiness of God, and inspire a life of worshipful reverence? " This is the same question I asked myself all the time and something that I am learning to do through my lenses.I am beginning to see the bigger picture of photography and media as a ministry.
wow. Thank you for this. Holy conviction.