Painting The World

LISTEN

“In the beginning, God created…”

Silas finished painting the world the other day; it was a Social Studies project where he chose to create a poster-size map of the world labeling the continents and oceans. According to Silas, it had to be painted, no markers.

One evening, while he worked and I made dinner, Silas wanted to know, “When we are in heaven will we get to see things down here on earth?”

I didn’t know the answer, but I shared how secretly I have always hoped so. I want to be able to see my life replayed with spiritual eyes. Eyes with the ability to see angels at work around me and where God was at work in my circumstances bringing about good.

We spend our earth time focused on what we see. Often what we see is what appears to be when God didn’t protect or intervene.

Silas was coming from another angle, though, being focused on his project. He said, “I think it would be so cool to see God, BOOM, create the world out of nothing. There is the land and there is the water.”

I agreed and added, “I think it would be cool to see what really happened to the dinosaurs and how the Egyptians built the pyramids.” Silas was somewhere over in the area of painting Egypt and added, “and watch Moses part the Red Sea.”

We decided it would be fun to watch these events unfold like a movie. It would be God’s documentary. Silas concluded our conversation with, “Yea, well, Mrs. Daryl already got to see and knows all these things.”

Since our good friend Daryl’s passing, heavenly conversations have popped up more frequently. I find comfort in allowing my mind to think about what she might be doing in heaven and consider what heaven is like? It makes me long for heaven.

Somehow, someway we must attempt to connect the things of heaven more to the things on earth. Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6: 9-10). Paul told us to keep our minds set on the things above. (Colossians 3:12)

What would happen if our spiritual eyes were opened to see the spirit realm? What would we see? Angels sitting with flaming swords on our front door, back door, and rooftops? Angels sitting on the hoods of our cars? A visual of the Holy Spirit prompting and whispering gentle directions for us throughout the day?

If our eyes opened up more to the spiritual realm, I think we would be amazed at the demonic all around trying to kill, rip, destroy, break down our efforts, thoughts, and try to jump in between God and us. I can see their slimy claws trying to nudge us, push us, and thrust us in the wrong direction. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

With spiritual eyes, we might see when someone hurt us with their words or lack of acknowledgment at a social gathering that the demonic was actually provoking that person, rattling off who knows what into their ear. We might see the demons fighting with the angels working hard to keep that person focused on the things above, while the demons tried to distract. We might then see one of those same demons turning around to pounce on us to accuse and condemn us, cheering on bitterness and anger to fill our hearts.

But we don’t look at things that way. We see the person hurt us, the car that did run into us, and the bad days we do have. We throw our fists up at God and scream at Him.

In the context of painting the world, wouldn’t it be amazing to see God’s finger reaching down to draw the lines between the oceans and the land? The very breath of God sweeping across the planet, everywhere it touches, life springs up. Every kind of butterfly, orchid, dog, and herb. Each fingerprint and snowflake throughout the ages, not one is like another.

Thinking about it boggles the mind yet encourages the heart. “BOOM, there is the water and there is the land.”

The next time you have a terrible day, hurtful situation, painful circumstance, try to put on your spiritual eyes, pull out your paintbrush, and begin painting. Visualize a worldwide canvas created by the Master Artist, and in doing so, BOOM, may you experience God’s kingdom coming down from heaven right into your world here on earth.

(This is a repost from 2012.) 

Receive Hope Every Week – Subscribe here

Thank you for reading. Please forward hope to others and share hope with others on social media.

BLOG SCHEDULE: Please enjoy hope every Monday this summer with a concise, creative burst through Pict Posts or with the reposting of previous blogs now with an audio option. A new series of devotional-style blogs will begin this Fall. God’s Word Gives Hope is committed to bringing inspiring, practical messages from the Bible into your life. Check this one out.  Helpless To Helped.