BLOWN AWAY

Haggai 1:2-9
2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built.'" 3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" . . . 7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the Lord. 9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?"
declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house."

"Who needs art?" According to theologian David Naugle, that phrase reflects the view Christians have exhibited over the past 2 or 3 centuries.

The reason for this drop in art appreciation? Naugle says modernism--emphasizing naturalism and a secular view of life--has blown away the "historic perspective on the arts."

To paint what that perspective used to be, we can brush up on what theologian David Kuyper argued in his famous Lectures on Calvinism. His primary point was "that human beings, as the image-bearers of God, have the capacity both to create something beautiful and to delight in it."

The music and art of modern times often lack the care that artists once put into their works. Passion for Jesus was obvious in the careful brush strokes and brilliant musical compositions of some classical Christian artists.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not against all of today's art. But I think Naugle has a point when he writes: "The goal is to take great delight in the divinely creative process, to edify people with truth through art, and to honor and glorify God with the works of our hands."

The prophet Haggai was wrestling with the lack of "artistic" excellence in his day. The Israelites had returned from exile in Babylon some 18 years before he wrote these words from God: "'What you brought home, I blew away. Why?' declares the Lord Almighty.
'Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.'" The people were not working on God's temple as He desired. They were enjoying the "paneled" walls of their homes, while the temple was in ruins--as finished as blank canvas.

God likely "blew away" their weak response in the form of removing His blessing--allowing their crops to be more chaff than wheat. It's ironic, because that's exactly what His people had figuratively brought to their temple building: chaff. Nothing beautiful that God could delight in.

What are you bringing Him from the works of your hands today? --Tom Felten

DESTINATION POINTS

* What is my view of the purpose of art?
* Why does Naugle feel that art should edify and proclaim God's truth?
* How have I been revealing the beauty of God in my life?

bottom line: Art is always best when its beauty reflects God.

soul journey