Michael’s words:
Hurricane Lee is pounding away in the Atlantic, hopefully it will stay away from land and people’s homes. It is hard to imagine being at sea in a hurricane pushing 160 miles an hour wind and I hope the seafarers have managed to avoid such a storm. We were fortunate with Hurricane Idalia, we had very limited damage here in Sarasota, but those further North will be recovering for a long time yet. Hurricane Ian hit us much harder, mostly fallen trees but again we were fortunate compared to those South of us who are still restoring their flooded homes, a year later. Property insurance is skyrocketing, we had a fifty percent increase this year and most likely another 40 to 60% on top of that in 2024.
The foundations of the weather have been shaken and we could easily have more storms this hurricane season. Of course, it is not just hurricanes or storms, it is fires, excessive heat and loss of food supplies. Sometimes, it feels like the ‘Woes’ are already being released.
It is within this context that I took up reading an insightful book, ‘Revelation, For The Rest Of Us, A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus As A Dissident Disciple.’ By Scot McKnight with Cody Matchett. McKnight is leading a bible study on the book of Revelation and came upon it in his research. It is a great book and has a call on Christians to resist falling into Christian nationalism, social injustice and adopting a domination mentality. Reminding us that Jesus’ victory came as a Lamb not as a Lion, and certainly not as the dragon. The book avoids the various schools of thought on the timing and nature of the pre-Trib/ post-Trib, millennial and rapture, and sees the value of seeing the world anew as ‘dissident disciples of Jesus.’
At the same time, some of the James Webb Space Telescope’s photography of the outer reaches of space, were released, which show the extraordinary dynamic of God’s creation. The images are beautiful and apocalyptic, not unlike John’s vision in Revelation. Where God finally addresses the sin within the earth quite radically, while still hoping people would turn to Him, so opening the way for a purely holy place to be prepared for those who believe in Him; to be with Him worshiping through eternity.
Revelation was thought to have been written by John around the year 95 or 96, most likely this was not the Apostle John, but another John, who had been banished to the Island of Patmos because he was critical of the Roman Empire’s culture and the ways the church was being seduced into it. McKnight, draws many parallels within the church and American culture today.
All that being said, this is a time, where we look back at ourselves, realizing many events in the world are pointing towards a culmination of disasters or a perfect storm of maladies. We have to examine ourselves and our own responsibility for actions or inactions towards our neighbors and our God, which have brought us so far from the love and power of the Lamb of God.
Mathew 8:24 “And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Christine’s News:
After finishing teaching an online icon writing class at the end of August, I have been spending time exploring a virtual abbey-Abbey of the Arts, with an online retreat on being a monkin the world. It’s been fulfilling to connect with this Irish Abbey and go deeper into my own spirituality through lectio divina and archetypes studies. I think this will inform my icons and paintings moving forward. It’s so rewarding to experiment and go deeper with God into the creative gifts I’ve been given.
The Sarasota art gallery I had been selling my paintings at has closed, but many of us from that gallery have joined up with a beautiful new gallery in Sarasota that opens in October. I’m excited about it and happy to see how it develops. I’ll be leading another online icon writing course in December- an Advent icon retreat. I agree with Michael, these times are like being in a pressure cooker and I wonder if it’s the same for all of you? Let’s all agree to pray together for peace, safety, provision, and health for us all as we get ready to meet the times that are ahead.
Our love and prayers go to you all,
Christine and Michael
Kingdom Arts Ministry 