Handiwork

I watched a sushi chef in action.  His passion, intensity, and obsession were evident to anyone wanting to pay attention to his moves.  Even though there were several items that went on to form dishes I could not imagine someone eating, I found myself caught in the trap.  I wanted to experience the work of his hands!  I wanted to savor the textures, taste, and feel of the food that was a result of his handiwork.  It was as if my emotions were powers in their own right.  They demanded I give up the forces of my resistance.  They insisted that I approach the future without any boundaries.  Each seemed to have an individual voice clamoring to be heard.
The food that I tried was amazing.  I discovered I was resting in places I did not know existed.  I found myself filled with new inspiration.  The simple act of eating and sharing moved me in surprising ways.
When I read that “Stephen, brimming with God's grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them” (Acts 6.8), I begin imaging streams of inspiration, hope, and thirst.  I am confident that there were those that were dancing.  I can see a minority huddling, already thinking of the potential of a next time event.  I can feel the renewed sense of hope that flooded the community.
Even as my imagination moves into overdrive, I find myself watching the dawn emerge in and through the buildings shaping the skyline.  New moments of hope can be found anywhere!  Chefs can inspire the individuals that will touch your life and mine.  God can transform the weak, powerless, and fearful into inspired preparers of the soul.  The permutations are endless.  It is not complex; the greatest beauty lies in the ordinary events of life.  It need not be difficult; we have a spirit that will guide us in the moment at hand.  It need not wait; we have the present to be, act, and engage.  God's handiwork can play out in your life and mine.