For some time, I have considered myself both an artist and an academic. For as long as I can recall, I have sought to reveal my inner self through artistic expression and also attempted to hone these artistic talents through analysis and skill garnered through education. At different times in my life, that art has been stifled both by extenuating circumstances and my own ignorance. It is because of this my art has not always been what I shall call “worthy.” My art has not been worthy of the Creator of my being.
A couple of years ago, the Holy Spirit revealed to me my role as a prophet. I mean this in a very New Testament sense. I don’t claim to foresee the future or anything quite that spiritualistic. It would likely be more correct to say I, instead, function in the role of a prophet within the body of Christ. I am a voice urging the church to return to the kerygma, the gospel, to Jesus Christ.
For years, I have struggled with my role as a prophet and my calling in theatre. For whatever reason, I have been unable to internally reconcile these two seemingly opposing ideas. Today, however, I may have had a mental or spiritual breakthrough, which to me is ironic due to my current opinion of myself.
I was reading today a book titled The Dead Sea Scrolls Today, which I concede is an odd place to find yourself at least in an existential “Who Am I?” way. The book discussed King David, not only as a worshipper and writer, but also as a prophet. For some reason, this puzzled me. I’ve read the verses where people claim allusions to Christ, and for some reason I just never fully connected the dots.
The Holy Spirit revealed himself to David through David’s art.
As I have said many times, “My mind…She is blown.” I don’t know why I had never realized it, not just for David but for me as well. I have always viewed my role in the theatre in the framework of Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
I saw myself as simply presenting myself to God, holy and acceptable [hopefully] as a means of fulfilling my calling and worshipping him in spirit and in truth. What I failed to realize was the simple truth. God can reveal Himself through my art, not just art in general, but specifically, in my art.
Woah.
Perhaps, my role as a prophet should simply work to augment my calling as an artist. Perhaps I should be using theatre to call people back to excellence back to the creator of the universe. I would like to note that I am not talking about ministry. I spent four years at a Bible school studying ministry and theatre, and I know beyond the doubt of a shadow I am not supposed to be in full-time ministry.
It could be God has called me to the theatre for the purpose of exposing His beauty. I just hope he will give me the strength to overcome any circumstances, and most of all the wisdom and clarity of thought to deal with my own ignorance.
-scritch out
