Thursday, October 29, 2009

Delight Yourself Also in the LORD

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalm 37: 3-4)
i delight to do Your will, O my GOD,
And Your law is within my heart.
(Psalm 40:8)

Have mercy upon me, O GOD,
According to Your lovingkindness,
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

For i acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have i sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight...
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Purge me...Wash me...Make me hear joy and gladness...
Create in me a clean heart, O GOD,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me...

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous SPIRIT.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else i would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of GOD are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart --
These, O GOD, You will not despise.
(Psalm 51: 1-4, 6, 7-10, 12, 16-17)

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Where's the Ad?

Sometimes i do art which doesn't seem to have any messages -- hidden or obvious.
Sometimes when i paint what others have commissioned, i would covertly add my own two cents worth for GOD somewhere in the design.
Sometimes i would paint just for the fun of it, just to see what comes out. And i would have a casual conversation with GOD as i paint, in my head, or at times, even aloud -- "Okay, Lord, surprise me!" -- and He would delight me, each and every time.This sulu (or sarong) is the outcome of a design of stripes intended for May Goulding of Todranisiga, but a childlike spirit scotched those straight lines and just painted a willy-nilly stripes of sorts, which ended up as a curtain for my daughter's window.To me, it's always okay to be joyfully childlike, no matter if we're edging closer and closer to 60 or 80 or 100. Life is indeed short -- so i'm learning that being a follower of CHRIST is a serious commitment to living for GOD, but that He approves of my unrestrained joy and laughter, childlike trust and obedience, and living life to the fullest In CHRIST, for in Him, and Him alone, my cup overflows.