One of the greatest art masterpieces in the world is the frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo painted each magnificent panel with a story from the book of Genesis with a focus on creation. In the center is the pinnacle of the painting and the crescendo of creation itself; God creating man. This familiar scene is known to many; God reaching toward man and man reaching toward God with fingertips millimeters apart. I had the privilege of visiting Rome a few years ago and found this work more beautiful than advertised.
Awaiting God’s touch
Recently, I stumbled upon a TED talk about this painting by art historian Elizabeth Lev. As she recounted this scene between God and Adam, she described Adam as heavy and listless awaiting the spark of life from God’s touch. We all need the divine spark and not just at creation. As evangelist D.L. Moody replied when asked why he prayed to be continually filled with God’s Spirit, he said it’s because he leaks. Though made in the image of God, we are only human and in need of his divine spark.
Transformation
All of us have it in measure by the sheer gift and grace of life. Yet we leak and the spark seems snuffed from time to time. A friend and I were talking recently about the process of transformation and we came to a few conclusions. The first was that transformation takes time. We also concluded that because transformation is heart work it is the most difficult kind of work and requires walking with God. Finally, we concluded that it demands recognition of the limitations imposed by our humanity.
Billy Graham wrote,
“We are constantly trying to reform ourselves. Stores are filled with self-help books claiming to hold the secret to personal reformation. But such efforts are only temporary at best. A deeper transformation is needed-a transformation of the heart.”
Transformation happens little by little and step by step. Yet it is not a self-help program and we can’t transform ourselves. Transformation comes from God and his divine spark.
As Eugene Peterson wrote,
“The goal of the Christian way is not human purity, but divine fellowship. Our task is not to sweep and beautify the house so that there is not a speck of evil dust to be found, but to invite our Lord to dwell with us and fill the house with the laughter of forgiveness and the conversation of grace.”
This laughter of forgiveness and conversation of grace seems foreign to those who obsess with religious doctrine, character development and moral purity. The ones who do usually despise others, including themselves, who fall short of the standards embraced. A better alternative is to realize our limitations and to pray awaiting transformation. We join with the rest of creation waiting and groaning for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed. And it comes little by little and step by step.
Sometimes we get discouraged by the small. Small seems insignificant; small things, small steps, and small lives. Yet I find comfort in knowing that nothing is too small for God including me. And as in the story of the good shepherd who left the big (99) and went after the small (1) or the woman who left the nine to find the one lost coin, we know God’s eye is on the small.
As we look back on our steps in years to come, I bet they won’t appear as small as they originally seemed. We may even see in them the glory of the divine spark.
(2 Corinthians 3:18).