I watched the video, linked in my previous post, at least a year ago, and this week, the Lord reminded me of it. He caused me to muse on what I had seen and He began to bring to mind some things about Himself for my own benefit and for the benefit of others.
The first thing I noticed about the artist was that He was the one who chose which fallen tree or branch he would use to make his work of art. Mr. Stinnett walked through a densely populated forest and could have chosen any tree that had died as a result of the fire that swept through the area some years before. He could have chosen any branch from a dead, fallen tree, so my first thought was why did he chose the ones he did?
I guess the answer is simple, in his mind he knew what he was going to make and he chose the branch or tree that pleased him. He could have chosen any tree for his project, but he chose only one. The Lord used this to remind me that He is sovereign and He chooses whom He will to work in that person's life.
Psalm 65:4
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
The Bible also tells us...
Ephesians
1:3-6
3 Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Mr. Stinnett walked through a forest full of fallen or dead trees and chose out only certain ones. He chose the ones he did only because it pleased him to do so. What an excellent picture of God looking down on fallen mankind and choosing whom He would to conform them from wretched sinners into useful works of His glory.
According to Ephesians 1:5, God chose whom He did only because it pleased Him to do so. It wasn't because one was a little nicer, or one was a little taller, or one would make a better speaker than the rest.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
26 For ye see your calling, brethren,
how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God
hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty;
28 And
base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to
bring to nought things that are:
29 That
no flesh should glory in his presence.
The second thing I noticed about Mr. Stinnett is that He didn't stop until his project was completed. He began the project and worked on it with patience until every little detail was finished. What a beautiful example of God working in the life of a person He has chosen to be saved. Not only does He chose that person, but He continually works in the life of that person until His work is finished.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a
good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ:
