BACKGROUNDS

At this writer's site where I participate one of the features available is to select from a wide variety of backgrounds to go with your poem. I never gave them much thought till I was involved with that site.

But they do really add something to the mood and image quality of the more it makes what is being express more dramatic. Which truly does adds a blessing.

However, like in life the background isn't necessarily the nature of life. It is a nice view, but doesn't mean it is the spirit of the person.

Backgrounds are the festive essence we color for our world. It is window dressing, but just as with the theme painted for words in a poem, it does affect the message.

However, it should never replace the message. And that is what is most important. Which can get lost in churches at time.

All the fluff amid the pomp and circumstance seldom brings the truth. It dazzles and may impress, but doesn't bring light.

For when we let those moments capture us where our eyes rule our spirit it is the Lord's voice we often fail to hear. And that is when we don't have the power to see the truth from deception.

I can't think of the times I seen the message take a back seat to some glitz. Music is wonderful, and all the other aspect of worship have value, but God's word is the priority.

And if we fail to keep that in focus, we might entertain, but is the Lord really honored? That is hard to say. But it doesn't feel that way in terms of what counts.

Alas that is one of the problems some will never see as problems. They will be all excited by lots of faces in the service, but not care what is being said.

And in the process we miss out on what God really wanted. Faith gets watered down and all kinds of other things seem to count more.

The Lord is not restrained by our failure to pay attention to what He says is important. His spirit will always raise up a true voice when others speak lies.

This person, regardless of what background is painted over their lives will wear the anointing as vestment and be where the Lord places them. For that there is no path we can invent to be where God leads.

But backgrounds still bless when we accept them as backgrounds and not solutions. Such is the choice each of us has to make when we decide to see God in the temple or just the temple.