Where is God’s joy in me? I often reflect on that question. Is His joy in me as the one-day perfected work? Or, is His joy in the this-day work of perfecting me?
For the artist, where is the joy? Is it in the finished painting, or is it in the process of painting? Is it in the final created work, or is it in the creating of that work? Is it standing back to treasure the canvas, or is it intimacy with the canvas?
Which? When I consider the question for myself I tend to focus on only one possibility, but actually there are two possibilities. There is what the artist envisions and has in mind to be captured. There is also what the artist brings to actual sight. Which is perfection? Which is real? Only the artist knows. Of the two, which is better loved by the artist?
Likely, neither.
The artist has passion. In spite of the “flaws” on canvas, which only the artist sees, there is the completed work; a labor of love. Yet as well, the artist truly loves the art of creatively painting; when in the zone, passionately so.
Where is God’s joy with me? Is it when I finally live out my life according to His perfect will? Or, is it in my living out my life under His hand now, requiring countless corrective strokes? Is it in His viewing me from afar, or is it in the up-close intimacy of His creative working?
I suppose both bring Him joy.
Only the Artist knows from where comes joy in the art. After all, it is not for the painting to critique the work of the Painter! The canvas cannot possibly know the mind of its Creator. Only the Painter can determine when the canvas is finished.
Most likely, right now, God has joy in me, and joy in you.
Comments by Ric Ochsner