The Best Photographer



The Best Photographer 

(Isaiah 55: 6-9, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)


A picture of the feast in the wilderness 

I love taking pictures. Everyone who has known me can assume what I’m going to do when we have some events. Taking a picture to me means praising God to celebrate what He has done, writing a history of our lives, honoring others, and giving a present to others. Recently while I was reading psalm 78, I found the picture I wanted to take. It is a picture of a feast in the wilderness. Some people who were against God said, “ Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” (Psalm 78:19) Do you think we can have a feast in the wilderness? Do you think we can celebrate Thanksgiving while we are grieving our beloved one, while we are in the midst of turmoil, and while we are so busy with many things which make us dry like in the wilderness? Israelites had a feast in the wilderness with manna and quail from heaven. Even they had an air conditioner from a pillar of a cloud, and a heat pump from a pillar of fire. Before celebrating Thanksgiving I would like to celebrate our imperfect life by taking a picture of a feast in the wilderness with you and with our best photographer, our Lord! 

The odd-shaped puzzle piece 

It is interesting when I read the upper room of October 26. The writer who loves puzzles found the odd-shaped puzzle piece, and she took away that piece. Because he thought it did not belong to this puzzle. However, when she was almost done with the puzzle, she needed one more piece. The odd-shaped piece was exactly fitted with that puzzle. How about our life? Do we have the odd-shaped piece, which we think it’s not supposed to belong to our life? It may be a life-changing event or a bad memory or a person who is annoying you. I had one. I didn’t accept the situation and the person who kept hurting me, and I didn’t understand why God was in silence, and He allowed this situation to me. It was so painful. At that time, God talked with me through Hebrew 12:10-13. 


10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

13 “Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” 


I needed to trust and confess “God gives me the best thing always in His best time” He disciplines us for our good, and it makes us holy. We can harvest righteousness and peace after training, and we can help the lame to be healed! Now my odd-shaped puzzle became my blessing I can give thanks to the Lord the most this year's Thanksgiving. My best photographer took the best picture of my life including the odd-shaped piece. 


A part of the picture VS. A big picture 

Can you guess what it is? The picture is a part of this big picture. When we see a part of the picture, we can’t find the beauty of the big picture. Part of the picture seems weird, ugly, and not cool. If we know the big picture, it’s helpful to see a part of the picture. If we know someone who knows the big picture, he will give us guidance with comfort, and peace. Isaiah 55:8-9 says; 


For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than  your thoughts.” 


Recently the heating system of our parsonage was changed from oil to a heat pump. We were so grateful, but we didn’t know how to use it well in our old house which has lots of separate rooms with circulations problems, and we moved all the dining tables to the living rooms. While we were adjusting to three church ministries, we needed to rearrange our furniture. When I saw this part of the situation, I was not happy. However, after rearranging the dining and living room, now we are really satisfied with it. We can see outside through the window, we can have lots of suns, we can see our fishes and indoor plants, and we can see children who are done eating, then playing next to us. Now I know God’s big plan for this. Our best photographer knows the big picture of it, and we just need to open our eyes to see his big picture. Our best photographer gives us a whole picture of His time. 


The Best Thanksgiving Picture 

What are your thoughts about the best Thanksgiving picture? I believe that it doesn’t have all the bright sides. It might have an odd-shaped piece and a part of a shadow. For taking a good picture, we need to know how to use our lights, and shadows both. Our best photographer can take an amazing picture with all our joys and concerns, with all our strong points and weak points, and with all our happiness and sorrows. As Roman 8:28 says, our best  Our best photographer will take the best thanksgiving picture with all things for the good of us who love him, and who have been called according to his purpose. Now we can live in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We can give thanks in all circumstances with our best photographer who can take a picture of a feast in the wilderness. 


Let’s take a picture of a feast in the wilderness. 

Paul took that picture with God, and he celebrated his imperfect life in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. 

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ( 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)


We can have a special camera used by our best photographer, too. We can become good photographers who can take a picture of a feast in the wilderness as He did. I pray that we can give thanks to the odd-shaped piece of our lives, parts of shadow with the faith of the big picture, and take a picture of the best thanksgiving picture with our perfect and best photographer! 


Service:  

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