For God's Eyes Only
Michelangelo is perhaps one of the most well known artist of the Renaissance era. Born in the Republic of Florence in 1475, he achieved fame early in his life. Two of his best-known works, the Pietà and David, were sculpted before he reached the age of 30. Michelangelo also created two of the most influential frescoes in the history of Western art: the scenes from Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome and The Last Judgment on its altar wall.
Michelangelo's works of art required intense labor. He spent four grueling years painting the Sistine Chapel's ceiling while lying on his back on a scaffold.
“Once he accepted the assignment, Michelangelo was fully committed. He expanded the project from the depiction of the Twelve Apostles to more than 400 figures and nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. He paid a great price. His friends didn’t even recognize him from all the physical effects of the grueling work.” (Source)
Despite the heavy toll it took on his body, he worked tirelessly to accomplish his famous works of art with a high standard of excellence. Once when asked why he was working so diligently on a dark corner of the Sistine Chapel that no one would ever see, Michelangelo replied, “God will see.”
I don’t know if Michelangelo was a born again Christian, but the motivation behind his tireless work ethic and standard of excellence, that God will see, is commendable and notable.
Michelangelo’s motivation reminds me of another great artist whose life story is carefully recorded in the scriptures. David was not only a musician, composer, and poet, he was a man after God’s own heart. While bringing back the Ark of God to Jerusalem, David did so with great joy and celebration before the Lord. But although his intentions were good, God’s prescribed methods for transporting the Ark were not properly followed.
“And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:5-7
Again, although David’s desire was good, God’s word was not carefully applied. The ark was designed to be carried (Exodus 25:12-15) and was only to be carried by Levites of the family of Kohath (Numbers 4:15).
Now, David learned a hard lesson about doing a good thing the wrong way. And because his desire was good, and he wanted to honor and worship the Lord rightly, David sought again to bring back the Ark of the Lord. But this time, they carefully and literally sought the Lord to order each step they took.
Additionally, as the Ark was being brought in procession to Jerusalem to be set in its place inside the tent, David celebrated and danced before the Lord with all his heart. (2 Samuel 6:12-19). But David’s wife, Michal, the daughter of King Saul, who watched from a window, did not enter into the joyous occasion. In fact, she despised David for dancing in a linen ephod before the eyes of the female servants (2 Samuel 6:20).
After Michal let David know how shamelessly he acted (in her mind), the word of God records:
David took great pains in offering sacrifices to the Lord throughout the procession and celebrated with great enthusiasm “before the Lord.” In other words, His eyes were on God and His heart was gripped by the greatness and majesty of God. He did not allow Michal’s criticism to be a killjoy. Her stinging words and harsh criticism could not extinguish the fire in his heart because he didn’t do what he did for her eyes, but for God’s eyes only.
It’s so rightly been said that if God is pleased, it doesn’t matter who is displeased. And if God is displeased, it doesn’t matter who is pleased.
We can find great joy in serving the Lord, a joy that cannot be taken away, when we do all that we do knowing that God sees. He sees not only what we do, but why we do it. He sees what’s in our hearts. It doesn’t matter if we are serving the Lord in a dark corner and no one else is aware. If God sees it, (and He does), that’s all that matters.
God gave heaven’s best, His only Son, to save us from our sin so that we can be reconciled to Him forever. Let’s give our best to Him. Let’s serve Him with grace-filled efforts and excellence. God sees!
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
In His service,
Pastor Marco
Michelangelo's works of art required intense labor. He spent four grueling years painting the Sistine Chapel's ceiling while lying on his back on a scaffold.
“Once he accepted the assignment, Michelangelo was fully committed. He expanded the project from the depiction of the Twelve Apostles to more than 400 figures and nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. He paid a great price. His friends didn’t even recognize him from all the physical effects of the grueling work.” (Source)
Despite the heavy toll it took on his body, he worked tirelessly to accomplish his famous works of art with a high standard of excellence. Once when asked why he was working so diligently on a dark corner of the Sistine Chapel that no one would ever see, Michelangelo replied, “God will see.”
I don’t know if Michelangelo was a born again Christian, but the motivation behind his tireless work ethic and standard of excellence, that God will see, is commendable and notable.
Michelangelo’s motivation reminds me of another great artist whose life story is carefully recorded in the scriptures. David was not only a musician, composer, and poet, he was a man after God’s own heart. While bringing back the Ark of God to Jerusalem, David did so with great joy and celebration before the Lord. But although his intentions were good, God’s prescribed methods for transporting the Ark were not properly followed.
“And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:5-7
Again, although David’s desire was good, God’s word was not carefully applied. The ark was designed to be carried (Exodus 25:12-15) and was only to be carried by Levites of the family of Kohath (Numbers 4:15).
“The Philistines transported the ark on a cart in 1 Samuel 6:10-11. They got away with it because they were Philistines, but God expected more from His people. The Israelites were to take their example from God’s word, not from the innovations of the Philistines…Much service for the LORD is like this – a new cart, a big production, with strength leading and a friendly image presented out front – yet all done without inquiring of God or looking to His will. Surely David prayed for God’s blessing on this big production, but he didn’t inquire of God regarding the production itself. This was a good thing done the wrong way… Judging from the importance of the occasion and all the instruments mentioned, this was quite a production. The atmosphere was joyful, exciting, and engaging. The problem was that none of it pleased God because it was all in disobedience to His word…We are often tempted to judge a worship experience by how it makes us feel. But when we realize that worship is about pleasing God, we are driven to His word, so we can know how He wants to be worshipped…It is hard to receive it in our consumer-oriented culture, but worship isn’t all about what pleases us. It’s all about what pleases God." -Guzik
Now, David learned a hard lesson about doing a good thing the wrong way. And because his desire was good, and he wanted to honor and worship the Lord rightly, David sought again to bring back the Ark of the Lord. But this time, they carefully and literally sought the Lord to order each step they took.
Additionally, as the Ark was being brought in procession to Jerusalem to be set in its place inside the tent, David celebrated and danced before the Lord with all his heart. (2 Samuel 6:12-19). But David’s wife, Michal, the daughter of King Saul, who watched from a window, did not enter into the joyous occasion. In fact, she despised David for dancing in a linen ephod before the eyes of the female servants (2 Samuel 6:20).
“Michal seemed to indicate that she didn’t object to David’s dancing, but to what David wore when he set aside his royal robes and danced as a man just like the other men, celebrating in the procession. David acted as if he were just another worshipper in Israel. This is not a justification for everything in the context of worship. When David considered the context of the procession and the whole setting, his conscience was clear. He knew his dancing wasn’t inappropriate to the setting or context. Someone who acts inappropriately to the setting or context of a meeting can’t simply justify it by saying, “It was before the LORD.” -Guzik
After Michal let David know how shamelessly he acted (in her mind), the word of God records:
“And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 2 Samuel 6:21-22
David took great pains in offering sacrifices to the Lord throughout the procession and celebrated with great enthusiasm “before the Lord.” In other words, His eyes were on God and His heart was gripped by the greatness and majesty of God. He did not allow Michal’s criticism to be a killjoy. Her stinging words and harsh criticism could not extinguish the fire in his heart because he didn’t do what he did for her eyes, but for God’s eyes only.
It’s so rightly been said that if God is pleased, it doesn’t matter who is displeased. And if God is displeased, it doesn’t matter who is pleased.
We can find great joy in serving the Lord, a joy that cannot be taken away, when we do all that we do knowing that God sees. He sees not only what we do, but why we do it. He sees what’s in our hearts. It doesn’t matter if we are serving the Lord in a dark corner and no one else is aware. If God sees it, (and He does), that’s all that matters.
God gave heaven’s best, His only Son, to save us from our sin so that we can be reconciled to Him forever. Let’s give our best to Him. Let’s serve Him with grace-filled efforts and excellence. God sees!
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
In His service,
Pastor Marco