The Porcelain Papoose

I ran my fingers over the contours of the porcelain doll as I admired the colors and minute detail. Having never paid much attention to ceramic art, I had no idea what its age or origin were.
But I was able to recollect some tidbits about ceramics from Arthist101, a class I had in college.
Ceramic casting is a fine art that has evolved from the crude clay pots of pre-history to the exquisite porcelain creations of China. During the time of Jesus the clay water pots, like the ones at Cana, were called ‘earthen’ vessels because they were made of earth as opposed to the also common goatskin bottles.
The piece in my hand, though far more refined than clay pottery, was also made of earth. And the masterpieces of China? Yep they’re earth too.
Amazing how simple crude clay can be made into something so delicate and beautiful! Almost before I had finished the thought, a broader, higher truth unfolded. If we are amazed at what the porcelain artist has done with clay, how shall we describe what God has done…with clay?
God has fashioned the ultimate china doll: the human baby, for all it’s beauty and complexity, is ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ ..of clay.
“..and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.’ (Gen 2:7)
Formed of clay, enlivened by the breath of God and and filled with the Holy Spirit. The child of God. What a doll!
But let us be reminded as Paul reminded the Greeks who had witnessed the
Works of the Holy Spirit in the saints at Corinth. “..we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.’ (2Cor 4:7) If you give back to God the clay pot that you are, though cracked and weathered, he will fill it with the treasures of his spirit to perform immortal works of love and ministry through you. And you will reign in life through him, living out the heritage of the saints of God and
‘..if ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be broken then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit return to God who gave it’
(Ecc.12:6) When the work is done and the sealed soul has taken flight.
May your memory be, in the hearts of your loved ones, a precious porcelain papoose.
By the way it is also God’s design that has placed in our hearts a tiny handle that babies take hold of and bend us to their will.

The Fat Lady Sings: Amazing Grace

It’s usually heard in the fourth quarter of a football game or the late rounds of a fight: ‘its not over yet’, and then something about a fat lady singing at some point before the loser will concede.   Well , I get the part about perseverance and never giving up, but does anyone know who the fat lady is?  We’ve been primed for her performance but she never seems to sing.  We want the fat lady now!  Maybe she objects to her stage name, 'fat lady'.   I’m sure she would prefer 'Jazzy Lady', but would settle for just 'Lady'.   Maybe we’ve not been sensitive to her potential insecurities.  But you wouldn’t expect her to have issues about weight, after all she is just a figment of popular culture, art imitating life.

Only living breathing overweight people get to wrestle with their weight, their image, and public insensitivity at the same time.  Obesity, [hereafter referred to as 'the beast'] has surged to the forfront of public health concerns; a prowling plague of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension.

The miracle drug? Well, there is always a buzz about the latest one but so far they've all succumbed to time and trial.  Preventive and therapeutic strategies are behavioral;  diet and exercise are matters of discipline and will, two factors that assure failure for  many of us.

The oppression of mankind by whatever means has always been the work of ‘…spiritual wickedness in high places.’ (Eph6:12) but as justice would have it, human suffering is a cause cele’bre for the Spirit of Grace.  The winged warrior sent from God fends for us, like an eagle for it’s young. The healing in her wings is the Word of God to the household of faith: ‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every accuser you shall condemn”(Isa 54:17)

The children of God need not languish among the prey of the ‘beast’.
Healing and health is our heritage to be had in harmony with the spirit.  God’s love is a dynamic stream of energy that permeates creation, broadcasting the divine frequency around which we are designed. This 'river of life' contains the operating codes to optimize our natural functions and gifts when we tune in, and give in, to it’s flow.

Obesity like all other human ailments is a symptom of systemic imbalance.  In the grand scheme of things mind is arranged over matter.  Balance is a matter of mind directing matter as the spirit directs mind.  Both unregenerate and reverent thought has authority over matter hence we have good or evil accordingly. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Pr23:7)

Overeating and inactivity may initiate weight gain but if the state of being obese is maintained in the mind it is oblivious to diet and exercise. An overweight unhealthy body in your reality is being sustained by an
overweight, unhealthy image in your mind.   Likewise a mental equivalent of fitness and health, held by faith will manifest a material equivalent displacing what ever is there now, and that includes body fat!   It is God’s own decree: ‘…be it unto you as you have believed.” (Mat9:29)

Scripture, prayer, and affirmation are the weapons of the Christian who would pull down the stronghold of obesity.  First we need to get our heads straightened out!   Grace by it's nature cannot cooperate with an unclean or unbelieving mind.  Scripture is a mind cleanser and conditioner with detangler! “..and be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds..”(Rom12:2)…’that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word” (Rom. 12: 2)

With our eyes on God, prayer is to the soul is as breath to the body, natural and necessary.  But prayer does not move the hand of God, prayer moves us into the hand of God.  The act of prayer submits our will and attunes us to the transmission of grace.   God  knows better than we what that must be accomplished.  We need only pray our 'self ' out of the way and our soul into position so that grace can do the work it has come to do.

The term ‘speak to a situation’ has been used to describe what we are able to do with affirmation. To affirm is not to command change but rather to avow an existing truth no matter what is seen in the mirror or anywhere else. ‘Calling those things that be as though they were not.”(Rom4:17

To agree with God before the end is seen is to declare what the end will be. There are no overweight children of God, there are those who for lack of knowledge consent to oppression. “My people perish for lack of knowledge” (Hsa4:6) Affirmation of God’s truth is a victory song even though the battle is ’not over yet.’ Let the fat lady sing from the depths of her soul a song of grace so amazing; how sweet the sound to which the beast of obesity must bow!