Stephen De La Vega

When we contemplate the canvas of life, I hope we recognize that God is the Master Painter. He determines the colors, the background, the foreground, the objects, and the goings on in His big picture. We see in limited frames, but God combines them onto a single, grand canvas, with the richness of differing perspectives, multiple art forms and mediums, and expertly woven nuances of light and dark space across and beyond varied genres and time periods. God is the artful Master, and He profoundly captures the details of our interests, talents, and emotions within a single image. And then another that expresses a new adventure or a different struggle, and ever-maturing qualities as time elapses. All that is within our hearts, that which was before and that which is to come, are deeply impressed in our eyes as He unveils His treasure: each one of us – each individual, eternal person. The Master Painter never overlooks the value of texture and depth. Each portrait within ea...

Sometimes on a hike or long drive we notice changes in the landscape. Lush. Dry. Wooded. Massive. Rocky. Beautiful. Meh. (That last one is for the younger readers. 😊 ) These changes typically occur gradually, but sometimes the transitions are abrupt. We experience similar changes as we journey along the path God painted into our landscapes. From frame to frame, varied backgrounds transform the scenery and our circumstances change. Sometimes these adjustments are difficult. Sometimes they take us by surprise. This is how it was for David as a young man, and even as a king. God painted his path with ever-changing hues. In faith, David navigated the terrain, no matter how long, no matter how difficult. [This is post 2 of a 3-part series on honoring our authorities within God’s big picture. Read post 1 here.] God’s big picture makes perfect sense to God, of course, but often not to us because we view it frame by frame. We don’t always get to see a...