Classic Art and the Sistine Chapel 10/15/13

Good Morning,

Tuesday morning and as I am heading out I have a hot cup of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee in my hand.

I was thinking about some of the world's classic artists and their work last night as I watched the sun disappear to the West.

My thoughts turned to one in particular.

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) Also known as Michelangelo, he was an Italian Renaissance artist. He is often considered a contender for the title of the archetypal Renaissance man, alongside Leonardo da Vinci.

Pope Julius II (also known as Giulio II and "Il papa terribile"), requested that Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel's ceiling. Julius was determined that Rome should be rebuilt to its former glory, and had embarked on a vigorous campaign to get the job done. That such splendor would (a) add luster to the name of Julius II and (b) serve to supersede anything that Pope Alexander VI (a Borgia, and Julius' rival) had accomplished, were not unimportant considerations. How Big Is the Ceiling? It's about 40 meters (131 feet) long by 13 meters (43 feet) wide. These numbers are rounded off just a tad, but don't detract from the fact that Michelangelo painted well over 5,000 square feet of frescoes. The Sistine Chapel Ceiling is one of the works that he is most famous for. Millions have traveled to Rome to see his work. Yet each day what people see in the Sistine Chapel is exactly what they could see the day before.  I am not minimizing the awesome work of art. I just am going somewhere else with this. As I was watching the sunset I remembered that God is everywhere and nothing exists except that He makes it. Each day hour by hour our Artist of the Universe paints a new ceiling in His chapel. Not two days are alike and since God knows where we each are at any moment, the ceiling we see was painted just for us. No one visiting the Sistine Chapel can say that the painting, even one little piece was made with them in mind. So when you watch God paint His chapel remember this. Isaiah 40:26 ESV           Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. Psalm 19 1 The heavens declare the glory of God;     the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  What an amazing God we serve. God bless, Marty