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| Good Portraits continue to come by God's grace. |
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| The good Pastor in his element. With people. |
Jonas is a good Nigerian brother of ours who joins us every Saturday morning during our Men's Fellowship. During our last meeting, he mentioned that there are friends of his that see Pastor Oscar around, and though they do not know him by name, they call him... 'The Rich Man.'
I may not have access to this great man's accounting records, but I do know that he is rich - rich with wonderful people proud to call him a friend, a father, a brother, an uncle.. I will never forget his lesson in leadership - "There are three R's of leadership: RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, and RELATIONSHIPS."
I was privileged to accompany Pastor Oscar to visit our growing church in Tarlac. I believe that he could have gone there on his own, and he could have done everything I've seen him do without me, probably even more. It was impressed upon me that he can stand alone - yet he chooses to have us stand with him. Here I see another facet, another perspective of the love of our Heavenly Father - the Creator of the Universe, Creator of Time and Space, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God of Israel... God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, were in union, yet chose to create us for His pleasure... and though we fell, He chose still to love us, giving everything up so we could be with Him again.
Thank God for Pastor Oscar. Thank God for everyone we know, for surely in each and every one is a grand opportunity to behold our Father's unfailing love in an entirely unique yet equally perfect way.
That being said, I am so glad that the fine folks at Fuji have their sensor definitely primed for skin tones, and portraits. I used to think landscapes were the only way to go to show the world God's greatness; now I'm thinking it's a good way, but not the only way. We are all created in His image, to show His glory in a unique way that only we could exude personally. Matt Redman sings of 10,000 Reasons to praise the Lord. I believe that this world has 6 Billion Reasons for us to behold and sing in awe of His greatness. Christian photographer, every portrait you take is a frame containing a man or woman in the image of our loving Father. Though it be the President of the United States, or an ISIS militant fresh from a beheading - that person was created with the original intention of being a beloved son or daughter of God through the finished work of Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And I suppose that though we may run out of landscapes to take, we will always have the chance to capture His glory through the face of human being. Heck, when nobody else is around, I suppose a selfie would do.
I'm babbling. But thanks for making it this far. Thank God for you.
Soli Deo Gloria.