“Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great!” Psalm 104:1a
We live in a remarkable age for the discovery of talent. There are so many outlets through which people with talent can be found. I am continually amazed at the singers who are discovered through various reality shows that are seeking the next musical star. Many had sung in anonymity at coffee shops, bars, weddings and church choirs for years while their talent was deserving of a record deal.
WordPress and the other blog hosts have a staggering number of blogs. There are millions of people in this world who have something to write. I am continually stumbling across very talented writers in my web-surfing who cause me to exclaim, “They should write a book.” So many of these wonderful writers have followers in the double digits, yet they are great writers.
The discovery of greatness does not cause greatness. Consider the vast number of extraordinarily talented people who have passed through this world unknown. Just think about all the brilliance that will go unrecognized this year alone.
I have just started reading the book; Galileo’s Daughter by Ava Sobel. In 1609, Galileo Galilei came across a curious new Dutch invention called the spyglass. By the end of that year, he had invented the first telescope with double the magnification of the original spyglass. Galileo was the first person to truly see the expanse of the universe. He was the first person to discover the mysteries of the moon. He found the moons of Jupiter. He probed the meanings of sunspots that had never been seen.
Galileo Galilei. Portrait by Ottavio Leoni. Detail. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Galileo discovered a greatness in the sky that was previously unknown.
Galileo declared, Holy Scripture and Nature are both emanations from the divine word: the former dictated by the Holy Spirit, the latter the observant executrix of God’s command.
The greatness of God as revealed through the expanse of the night sky had been hidden since creation. However, just because it was not discovered by man does not mean God was not equally great through all that time.
I wonder at the vast number of un-observed executrix of God’s command that we blindly pass by every day of our short lives. Why would God create such wonders that man is incapable of beholding? Why would He give gifts that are never discovered? Why would He make beauty where eyes are absent?
God has made this world in the manner in which it has been made because He is great. This world was not created for us. It was created for Him. This world is an expression of Him. We simply are observers. We are not the purpose.
No marvel that has gone unobserved by mere man has ever been wasted. They are not wasted because we are not their purpose. They were not made for man. They were made for the Creator. There is so much of the complexity of creation that is beyond our comprehension.
There are levels of God’s glory that are simply beyond us.
The gifts of talents and abilities, undiscovered for the masses, have never been wasted. They are not wasted because those gifts were not made for man. They were made for the Creator. The writer who writes without a readership still is fulfilling his or her purpose. They are writing for the glory of the Lord. The art that is never seen in a gallery is still of immense value because the artist’s talent is proclaiming the hand of the Creator. The musician without an audience is an undiscovered marvel that was made for the praise of the Creator.
We are all a part of the executrix of God’s command. Let us play our part in full accord and gladness.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24
PRAYER: Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great. Thank you for blessing me with your greatness. Thank you for giving me glimpses of what is completely beyond me. Forgive me for lapsing into thinking that this world is about me and for me. It is all about you, O Lord. Father, help me to think beyond myself. Help me to be content in serving you. Free me of the bondage of the praise of man. Show me that there is nothing greater than pleasing you and you alone. I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
A DEVOTED LIFE 