Last night, I just finished watering my garden when the temperature dropped and the rains swept in. Tilly and I both nearly jumped out of our skin as the thunder cracked so loudly it shook the windows. The television meteorologists with their maps and teleprompters were tracking the weather system passing over my area not by wind speed or rain volume but by the frequency of lightning strikes.
God was enchanting us.
That’s what the Psalmist concluded when he looked at the splendor of heavens.
Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! (Psalm 8:1)
Everything in this world is not created as an end in itself; it was created to point us to God. So enjoy the blessings and the beauty of what life is. But use it for its full purpose-as a platform of praise of a great God.
Where ever we find beauty, we find God drawing us back to himself.
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In chapter 9 of Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions, Guy Kawasaki refers to web sites, blogs, and Facebook as pull technologies that businesses and organizations use to bring people to their message. As opposed to email and Twitter, which he discussed in chapter 8 as push technology, or sending the message to the people.
God doesn’t have a Twitter or Facebook account, however, so his Word becomes the push technology that takes his message to the people. And the pull technology? Creation, which invites us to come and consider our Creator.
I’ve resisted the seemingly obvious connections between Kawasaki’s Enchantment approach to marketing an idea and the Gospel call of spreading the news of Jesus because I wanted to take the book at face value. Though Kawasaki is called the former “chief evangelist” of Apple.
But today, as Pastor Mark unpacked the rest of Psalm 8, the part in which God not only is almighty, everlasting Lord but also the merciful, condescending God who made man a lot like himself, I realized that enchantment is not just a redemption message. It’s also a creation message. I am enchanting to the degree that I am living out the God-parts in me: when I create, when I relate, when I love.
In other words, I am enchanting because I bear His image.
Sometimes I forget that I resemble the one that made me. I feel trapped by the world rather than enamored by it. I take things for granted rather than receive with gratitude. I let piles of laundry and unpaid bills keep me from lighting candles and putting on music and really living in my life.
Not today, though.
Today, I am both enchanted and enchanter.
When I consider Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars,
which you have ordained;
What is man that You take though of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet.
Psalm 8:3-6
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An enchanting Symphonic Poem of Psalm 8 . . .
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God, as the Great Enchanter. Yes… YES!
I’m so glad you shared this, Charity. What a stunning post. Love the idea that He’s enchanting us, even with the lightning.
Our dogs do not like thunder and lightening either. God is in his heaven and He is in control. Personally I enjoy the sky show!!
My post today is about our 3 dogs and their duck toy.
Deidra – I think you are EXACTLY right about needing both the push and the pull. I think Kawasaki would say that’s right for business, but I think it’s right when doing God’s business. This is part of being in relationship with the Almighty.
Monica – I think we all lose site of our enchantment in Christ sometimes. Writing this post was as much a reminder to me as to anyone else. Thanks for stopping by!
Laura – yes, THE chief evangelist. I have been intrigued with that title since I first read it.
Jean – so kind of you to come my way!
Michelle – Yes, it does blow my mind. I love the way the Psalmist asks that, “What is man?”
Well, color me enchanted. This was great! I’m all about the pull technology of God’s creation. I’m always pointing to the sunset or a mountain or the amber waves of grain and exclaiming, “Would you just look at that?!?!” as I ride on the passenger side of the car. My poor husband.
But what this reminds me is that the balance of both push and pull is so important. We need them both, don’t we?
Charity — awesome.
You make me wonder about myself. Frankly, I don’t feel very enchanting right now! But if I’m made in God’s image, then I need to think differently—and probably, if I think rightly, I will better shine His light.
And now I can’t wait for the next lightning storm!
Oh, Charity. You certainly have enchanted me with this post. We know THE Chief Evangelist, don’t we? And thinking of creation as pull technology? Yes! I love it! Thank you for reminding me of all these sweet and good things today. What a blessing :).
Charity, love this thought provoking post. You really left me thinking and love being both the enchanter and the enchanted. visiting from Graceful blog tonight and glad to discover your writing. I will be back!
Charity,
There is SO much in here, I don’t even know where to begin.
There’s this, from your pastor:
“Everything in this world is not created as an end in itself; it was created to point us to God. So enjoy the blessings and the beauty of what life is. But use it for its full purpose-as a platform of praise of a great God.”
Which inspires me to proclaim, “YES! — A platform of praise!” I love that.
And then there’s your statement, about the fact that we are enchanting because we are created in his image. Me? Enchanting? I think not. But then I read your words, and I think, maybe? It’s true — I am made by Him, in His image. Am I realizing this perhaps for the very first time today?
I am overwhelmed with gratitude that He would choose flawed and messed up me as an image of Him — doesn’t that just blow your mind?
Thank you, Charity — you wowed me tonight!
Sheila – I needed this reminder today, too. I am His, and He is mine.
Charity, Thank you. I needed to hear all of this today.
But especially this:
In other words, I am enchanting because I bear His image.