I found myself sitting in a comfortable chair on a high floor balcony. My sightline was towards the north. It was filled with colors, textures, and a variety of smells and sounds. Even as my mind began to categorize the bits and pieces into formal names with their form and function, I realized that I was buried in something that had Divine brushstrokes. There could be no question that humans had played a role. The tall buildings and slashes in the earth, some paved while others remained raw, were visible on multiple levels. Yet there was something greater in what I could see. My line of sight was more than the sum of its parts.
As I quietly let myself go in the scene, the idea that this was an invitation into something more would not leave. I struggled to think of how I would express it now, knowing that the words would say more than I realized. David’s words seem to fit best; “Here I am, your invited guest – it’s incredible! I enter your house; here I am, prostrate in your inner sanctum, waiting for directions to get me safely through enemy lines.” (Psalm 5.7, 8)
I found it odd that I have looked this way before without seeing this perspective. As obvious as it was now, I know it is not always the case. My observation of what is different now includes the following.
A requirement to being open to more is an intentionally willingness. One must look or be looking in order to find.
Whatever more is, it is not always known or understood on first encounter. Reflection, consideration, and conversation enrich what we have.
More requires head and heart. Either by itself is not sustaining or life changing. Having all three is a combination for something that touches one’s life.
I am not sure what everything is in my sightline. I do know I am enjoying the view. It is a step filled with possibilities. What happens next is up to me. In the meanwhile, God is at work, painting more.
