Music: Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) - Chris
Tomlin
The Artist's Towel and Basin
By
Randall Flinn
In the Book of John, Chapter 13, Jesus Christ leaves his
esteemed position at the table of the last supper, before His death on the cross, and completes one of the most significant
acts and service of his earthly ministry. It is written in this passage of scripture that Jesus was fully aware
of all that had and would soon be taking place concerning His purpose and mission. Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart
from this world, that Judas Iscariot would soon betray him, and that He had been sent by God and would be returning to His
Father after fulfilling the mission he had been sent to do. Most amazingly, He knew that soon he would walk the road of suffering,
and being beaten and scourged beyond recognition, would endure the death blows of crucifixion and take upon himself the wages
of sin. Even in the knowing, and with the opportunity to escape it all, He still persevered for the joy that was set before
Him, for our salvation and our restoration to God.
As all these
dark tragedies were soon to be upon Him, still He was able to rest in the union and identity with His Father and the assurance
of His purpose and passion for mankind. Here was the Master Artist Himself, the Word that had become flesh and blood, the
glory of the Incarnation, and without hesitation, carrying out the sacrificial plan of His Father to reconcile the world to
Him through the atonement of His Holy Son. At a time which could have been opportune for any other person's sense of self
protection, retaliation, insecurity and identity crisis, Jesus leaves His place of authority at the table and girds himself
with a servant's towel and fills a basin in order to wash the feet of those He loves. This act of Christ's love
is filled with vast and profound significance. He tells Peter that what he does now may not be understood, but later, (when
Peter is restored by Christ) he would understand. At that time Peter had no idea how powerful and impacting Jesus' gesture
would be for his own life and ministry.
Jesus was offering yet another
mandate to his followers, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's
feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do for one another as I have done for each of you." Jesus
washed their feet, the soiled part of their bodies, in a beautiful example of grace being lavished upon the receiver in the
washing of their souls and the affirmation of their value as children of God. The towel and basin were simply his instruments
in carrying out His divine service and calling. The Master Artist had all he needed to offer his gift to those he loved and
though this to multiply that gift for the world to receive great blessing. Yes, the Lord of Creation washed over dirty feet
in bountiful grace and beauty, with healing and affirmation, and even prophetic acts of restoration.
Now, here I am your artist Lord, and what are my towel and my basin? You have instructed me to
follow your example, one given by a servant-King. You have asked me to wash the feet of humanity. The life and gift
I have been given can become the towel and basin to serve this world in your name. I too, in honor to you, can bring your
grace, beauty, truth, healing, peace and joy through the offering of my life and talent. I can be a creative servant of Christ
and secure in my role and calling which will set me free to serve others in the love, liberty and power of your Holy Spirit.
In you Lord, I can work in excellence and understand my role and potential to restore lives and culture and even nations in
your name.
Father, you have restored me as your son and as an artist to
engage and impact, inspire and rebuild for the sake of your Kingdom and eternal plan. Your redemptive truth and the riches
of your grace can live and flourish within me and through my creative pursuits. Oh Father, as you removed Isaiah's iniquities
with the coals of your altar, as you removed the tainted garments of Joshua the High Priest and girded him in pure vestments
and as your placed your words and anointing upon the lives of your priests, prophets, disciples and apostles, oh Lord, wash
my feet as I surrender them and the rest me to you. Lord Jesus, wash over and remove the stones, the hindrances of my sin,
my pride, my lusts, my distortions and false identities and idols that I have set above my affections for you. Jesus, you
knew your purpose and you were free to love and to serve and to obey the will of your Father. Help me Lord, in this confusing
world, to know my purpose in you, to hold secure in your plan and to obey you.
Jesus,
you are glorified as our lives bear fruit and we abide in you. You have said and given me your permission to go and
bear much fruit in your name. I am your son and I am your artist and I desire to bear fruit to the glory of your name. You
called an artist, Bezaleel, by name. You fill him with your Holy Spirit and enabled, empowered and anointed him to serve your
purposes as a skilled artist. His very name means under the shadow of God. Lord, this is what I long for, to be your son and
your artist, under the shadow of your Presence, filled with your Spirit and working in excellence to the glory of your name.
How I realize Lord that I could so easily in my flesh and fallen nature
turn to the pride of Lucifer in desiring my own exaltation. So I thank you even now for the blessings of the brokenness you
have brought into my life and the thorns in the flesh that keep me ever clinging to your grace and mercy. It is not my work,
it is not my creativity that's makes me anyone or anything. All that I am and hope to be is a gift of your grace and forgiveness
in my life.
So I return to the towel and basin Lord. It is here that I
can glorify and serve you best. It is here that I can be a true son and a true artist and give back to this world from your
gift of grace. It is only here that I am liberated to love others in your name and to serve them with the talents you have
entrusted to me.
Restore me daily Lord as your son and your artist. Daily
remove the stones so I can help build up the highway of the Lord in your path and plan for this world. May your Spirit
rest up0n me and anoint me for the tasks that you have called me to in this world and in your Kingdom to come. My heart is
yours', my art is yours'. As I am restored and healed and made whole, so then my life and artistry will find new freedom
and meaning.
Simply, I thank you for the basin and the towel and
the wonder I find in creatively washing the feet of mankind as a servant-artist. There is so much your have for your artists
Lord. Restore them my God that they may transform the distortions of this world with the redemptive gift of art.
IN HIS STEPS - THE JOURNEY
OF A DANCER IN CHRIST
By Randall
Flinn
I am a professional dancer and choreographer, and I am also a believer in Jesus Christ and
the salvation found only through Him by His redeeming grace. My dance with Jesus Christ began over twenty-five years ago in
my home town of Houston, Texas, where I had begun my early years of intensive dance training. However, none of my previous
studies had prepared me for this new movement of following Jesus. There was now a new Choreographer in my life called the
Spirit of God, and He was making sure that I was learning these new steps and paying attention to the instructions.
In the beginning, I found myself a rather clumsy dancer,
yet being upheld and sustained by a grace that met me in all my weaknesses. Each day was a rehearsal day for the path and
future He was preparing for me and the calling He would place upon my life in service to Him. The steps that He was teaching
me were so unfamiliar and they were described in terms like forgiveness, love, kindness, peace, joy and that ever so difficult
step which He called humility, which was found in part through serving and considering others above me. Though I completely
struggled, I found the Dance Master very gentle and patient with me, guiding me with correction, not to embarrass or break
me down, but to coach me, leading me to improvement and even to overcome failures that I never thought I could.
So now, over twenty-five years later, I wish I could tell you
that I have perfected this dance, but I must be honest, I have not. Of course I have gotten so much better in understanding
the familiarity of the steps and sometimes even "faking" them really well, but in truth I know that I still cannot
do this dance on my own, and even more, now completely convinced that the Dance Master never expected me to dance alone. Yes,
in many ways I am still a clumsy dancer, but in every way His grace and His faithfulness remain, and His Spirit dances in
and through my weaknesses and works to heal the fears, the pain, and even the sin that comes to interrupt the dance but cannot
overcome.
It is still amazing to ponder
this over twenty-five year journey with Jesus.These
adventures have taken me into many nations of the world to teach His dance of grace to countless people through my work as
a dance teacher and choreographer. I have worked with both Christian and non-Christian artists, from mission's organizations
to professional dance companies, in theatrical venues from New York to Sydney, Australia, as well as in the poverty stricken
jungles of Haiti and amidst the conflicts of the beautiful Jerusalem.
My vocation is in the field of dance, and for most of my life this has been my work, but
greater than this is the call of my life to be God's son and also His servant. If dance is my towel to serve others in
His name, then I hope to serve with my dancing the best I can, no matter what stage He may call me to perform the task of
washing the feet of humanity in creative ways.
For
me it is a waste of time and good theology to debate or argue over using dance in God's service. It should seem all too
simple that the Giver of every good and perfect gift has also given those created in His wonderful image the ability to dance
and to do so well. The arts are a powerful mind-molder of society and culture-perhaps, even a very strong prophetic voice.
May God's creative sons and daughters, called to join Him in the dance in which He has both endowed and entrusted
to them, commit themselves to dance in His honor with whatever unique instruction and choreography He has prepared for the
path of their lives.
Dance is for worship,
witness, and for expressions of beauty, truth and imagination that offers the recognition that we truly are "fearfully
and wonderfully" designed and crafted by the Divine Choreographer who has purposed our dance in Him from the foundations
of the world. The stages of this world are in need of God's dancers to make their entrance and to stop hiding in the wings.
"For creation itself groans and waits for the revelation of the sons of God to release it from its bondage and corruption".
So dance for Him we must, and passion for the eternal dance must fuel the flame of our hearts and ignite reason and purpose
for each performance where the signature of His Spirit is found upon the dancers filled with His grace and power.
So now, some twenty-five years later, I stand as the director
of a professional dance company called Ad Deum "Unto God", with professional dancers that have come from across
the world to be here in Houston, Texas within an artistic community where the name of God is proclaimed in freedom, reverence
and much grace. I lead my dancers towards excellence as a director and choreographer should, and with the mission of artistic
merit and craftsmanship. Yet, I also awaken them to the mission of Christ and the dance He offers which is above and beyond
that of my own steps and ingenuity. I would have never imagined such an incredible dance as this dance He has ordained for
me and has trusted me to perform the steps in union in Him.
