"The Call of the Artist"

A long time ago, and in centuries past, A meeting occurred, a strategy to last. It was easy to see, this Church would be trouble, To completely succeed, the devils efforts must be double. And, so with the skill of a master deceiver, The devil launched an attack against every Believer. We must reduce their weapons, if we are to win, They are much too mighty against our strongholds of sin. “Get them to divide the things God was giving, The things the Lord meant them to use, in this world they were living.” The sacred and secular, the two we will divide, The talents they’ve been given, we will get them to hide. To see the world they live in, as a much hated place, Instead of a world that's in desperate need of God’s grace. We must get them to turn their back on their creativity and skill, The things they could use, for the disease they could heal. The Art’s they must go, with their banter and rhyme, They are just a distraction, for which we haven’t the time. Paintings, and music, and even the dance, We will certainly live holy, and leave nothing to chance. It really doesn’t matter what God would want them to do, We will play to their self-righteousness, oh, what a fool! They’ll hate all the things they could use for the Lord, They’ll say it’s not righteous, as they misinterpret His Word. The sacred and secular, God never meant that divide to occur, For He is the Lord, and to Him we should confer, How far does His redemption reach into the night? To what should the Church, purify with its true Light. Call those things evil, and tools of sin, And never redeem the things in humanity, which lie deep within. The Artistic, the Creative, they are just a distraction, The folly of the world, against which, we must take action. Repent! We scream with self-righteous fire, The passion you feel, is just an evil desire. Don’t use the arts, or any creative skill, They are lies of the devil, and your walk it will kill. Instead withdraw into your own little world, Sing your Christian songs; let the holy banners be unfurled. We will not be like them, we say in our pride, And the candle of truth, from them forever we hide. Oh, how we feel so righteous, in our self-centered glee, As we call for the world to repent, and become like me. Leave the art, the dance, and even more, Forsake all your talents, and walk through this door. Into a world that is ever so bleakly painted gray, And then wonder why we have no revival, like in the good ol’ day. The devil laughs, this was much too easy, I’ve got them to believe that culture is sleazy. They bought into the lie, with its righteous holy sound, And the world continues on, in their sins they are bound. Because the Bride of Christ, took the gifts of the Groom, And locked them forever away, in a dark isolated room. And failed to use what God, meant to convey His pure light, And left the world staggering in the darkness of night. But, we’ve stood for holiness, we cry with self-righteous joy! We’ve never partaken of his tricks or the evil one’s ploy. Oh, but my Bride, what have you done? You’ve failed to redeem it, for the glory of my Son. I gave you the tools, the truth to them you were to carry, And the talents I gave you, instead you did bury. You hated the art, thinking you were so right, But I your God am the Artist, who painted the stars into the night. I gave you these things to show the world true life, Instead in self-righteous glee, you caused chaos and strife. You belittled the ones I gave special gifts to, You said “the things they do, oh we will never do!” We will live holy and pure, and honor the Lord, Withdraw from the people, the culture; the world. You have failed to realize this whole world is mine, My Son took ownership from the devil, in My perfect time. And commissioned you to go into all of the world, Redeem it by my Spirit, and proclaim my Holy word. Instead you had dinners, and parties galore. Instead of a Bride, you became a cheap whore! You are not what I planned to give to my Son, Come back to me my people, unite and be one. Embrace the gifts I gave you, with thankfulness and glee, Redeem this world completely, by showing them Me. Do not despise what I’ve given for you in this life, Represent and redeem, and be to my Son, a pure wife. Let your light so shine into the darkness of night, Get back into this battle, this war, and this fight. Use all the gifts I gave you, to proclaim my dear Son, And be ever so faithful, ‘til you hear Me say “well done!” And never call what I have made, evil and unclean, Use it for My Kingdom, let my Grace now be seen. And then once again you will see the people begin to come, To hear of my mercy, and by faith accept My Son. Here once again, I give you the tools, Don’t fall for false righteousness, don’t be the devil’s fools. His lies he will intensify, because he knows his time is short, He’ll try ever so hard, my Word to contort. But stand by My Spirit, and upon my True Word, Proclaim it in power, with beauty unfurled. To the Bride I am calling, use all that you’ve got, Never cease from your commission, never quit, never stop. I will soon be here to get you, and bring you to me, And then, oh my child, such dancing you will see! Such joy and gladness, I’ll have for you there, But remember my prayer, as it is in heaven, so here. Embrace what I’ve given you, the culture and art, Employ the gifts I’ve given you, it is time now to start. And I will use you once again with my Holy Spirit’s power, You will see my mighty works, as I reveal Myself each hour. Yes, the devil met with his demons, the Church to destroy, I laugh at his efforts, for I have turned around his master ploy. And now my People, they have begun to see, The things I have given, I have meant for them to receive. The talents they now consecrate, the gifts I have given, Will be used by my Spirit, to lead many souls home to heaven! And what will you do with this poem you now read, Will you accept it, embrace it, and to its truth now heed? Will you begin to see all things belong to our Lord? Both the sacred and secular can be redeemed by His Word. Will you now never again, His gifts to despise, Instead in His power, as the Church now arise. And not withdraw from this world to which we have been sent, But teach them the truth, and how to repent. Use now the gifts that the Artist has given, Represent Him now upon this earth, as in heaven. And pray His Kingdom come, until our work here is done, And one day we will celebrate and dance, in the Joy of the Son! ---By Pastor Steve Gardner