“God’s Appointment Book for 4.2.2010″
Why do some people seem to open themselves to input from God, and others don’t? The same event—say, poverty—forges one person’s character for the good, and absolutely crushes another. And if God is in control of not only the events, but receptivity of the receiver as well, how does this happen?
Matt. 5:45 says, “…He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” And at the same time Romans 9:18 says, “So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” But apparently we’re held accountable for our response to him, because Hebrews 3:15 says, “… “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts…”
On this painting, I set up the grid, removed a random 1/3 of the blocks, and spattered repeated layers to create a ‘target color’ for that third. I covered that third and exposed one of the remaining thirds, spattered another target color, and did the same for the last 1/3 of the squares. So, there were three color mixes, randomly distributed through the grid.
Next I subjected the entire grid to a 50% exposure to a multiple series of random spatterings. It fascinated me to see how the three color mixes responded to the same color events. Some spatterings made drastic, tone-altering shifts on some squares, while the same spatter didn’t impact some other squares at all. Red droplets falling on red squares didn’t do much, but they dramatically shifted the dark blue squares.
It made me ponder the idea of God’s ‘common grace’. To what degree are his blessings are available to all? To what degree does my own makeup make me impervious? To what degree does he open or close the possibilities?
