Today's passage provides a transition from the covenant-giving period near Sinai towards the Israelites' long wanderings in the desert. The passage points to several key insights about guidance, leadership, and complaining:
1. Guidance from God's presence. The Israelites had the great benefit of seeing God's presence in the ark and following His guidance through the desert. Please consider Numbers 9:15-23:
"On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning, the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD's order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command through Moses."
We often wonder about God's will and what it means for us. Yet, it appears that God's guidance is for today and comes just at the appropriate time. The key ingredient is our willingness to stick with Him and to listen for His voice. Here, we notice several things about God's guidance for the Israelites that carry over into our present day in the Person of the Holy Spirit:
a. God comforts His people by dwelling with us and giving us His constant presence. For the Israelites, they had the testimony of the cloud. We now have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:15-17)
b. God gives clear instruction and demands obedience: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26)
c. God's guidance is Word- and truth-centered: "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (John 16:12-15)
d. God seeks a community orientation for His people: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Corinthians 12:12,13)
2. The burden of leadership. Upon hearing the Israelites' latest complaint, an exasperated Moses cries out to God for help with his struggles. God responds by raising up a group of 70 elders, from whom Moses would receive support in governance. God promises that He would "come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone." (Numbers 11:17)
We often may feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face. Scripture points out the importance of having friends and trusted advisor in undertaking governance or just in living life (cf. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and 1 Samuel 23:16). Proverbs 15:22 teaches us the importance of listening carefully to others' input: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."
3. The complaining Israelites. After making a second covenant with God (after their idolatrous worship of the golden calf), the Israelites again deeply wound the heart of God through their complaining attitudes. While God had promised to provide for them and did provide manna, they whined to have meat. We often do much the same thing. We show little contentment for our present circumstances, but rather seek a greener pasture somewhere else. God responds to the Israelites through burning members of the camp and bringing a plague among them, even after they've collected a great amount of meat. Even Moses had doubted God's ability to provide.
QUESTIONS
1. How can you better hear God's voice related to His will?
2. How have you complained over the last three days? How might you have responded differently?
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
February 6
Your Purpose on Earth. Numbers 4
In our reading today the Levites are given their mission on earth. There are three clans and they are responsible for the care of the tabernacle and the outer courtyard. There are 22,000 Levites so the job they have must have been tremendously important and vital for the nation.
This position was not to be taken lightly. Numbers 4:17-20 gives a warning not to be peeking and snooping around the Tabernacle. If they do this they are facing a potential life threatening situation.
Thinking about your life in light of this truth:
What is the responsibility God has given you?
Do you know why God has placed you on this planet?
Only 3% of Americans have a written mission statement for their life. The truth is that most people have no idea why God has given them a new day of life.
Here are some tips on how to find your mission in life.
1. Ask God to show you. Start with prayer and a quiet heart.
2. Open your Bible and see the mandates that he has given to you. Write these down.
3. Write a time line of your life. God can use every event of our lives to future his kingdom.
Remember the story of Joseph... God can even use evil things for good.
4. What are your passions? What things are really important to you and set your heart on fire?
5. What do you do well? Remember God gave the skills to the artesians in Exodus 35? God has given you your skills. What are they?
This process of gathering all of this information will take you several weeks. But there is no more important task then knowing your mission.
I might surprise you one day and ask you, “What is your mission on earth?” I hope you have a solid answer for me. That is the only way to live a meaningful life.
There are three types of people in the world today:
1. Those who make things happen.
2. Those who watch things happen.
3. Those who say, “What happened?”
May God give us the strength to make things happen.
In our reading today the Levites are given their mission on earth. There are three clans and they are responsible for the care of the tabernacle and the outer courtyard. There are 22,000 Levites so the job they have must have been tremendously important and vital for the nation.
This position was not to be taken lightly. Numbers 4:17-20 gives a warning not to be peeking and snooping around the Tabernacle. If they do this they are facing a potential life threatening situation.
Thinking about your life in light of this truth:
What is the responsibility God has given you?
Do you know why God has placed you on this planet?
Only 3% of Americans have a written mission statement for their life. The truth is that most people have no idea why God has given them a new day of life.
Here are some tips on how to find your mission in life.
1. Ask God to show you. Start with prayer and a quiet heart.
2. Open your Bible and see the mandates that he has given to you. Write these down.
3. Write a time line of your life. God can use every event of our lives to future his kingdom.
Remember the story of Joseph... God can even use evil things for good.
4. What are your passions? What things are really important to you and set your heart on fire?
5. What do you do well? Remember God gave the skills to the artesians in Exodus 35? God has given you your skills. What are they?
This process of gathering all of this information will take you several weeks. But there is no more important task then knowing your mission.
I might surprise you one day and ask you, “What is your mission on earth?” I hope you have a solid answer for me. That is the only way to live a meaningful life.
There are three types of people in the world today:
1. Those who make things happen.
2. Those who watch things happen.
3. Those who say, “What happened?”
May God give us the strength to make things happen.
Friday, February 5, 2010
February 5
Accountability day ... quick email with a number will be fine. Remember this is the toughest month of our year. With a big snow storm coming this weekend it is a great time to catch up.
Numbers 1-2
Numbers 2:1-2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: "The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family."
Suppose you were asked to design a planned community, complete with houses, shops, schools, churches and hospitals. Would you want there to be a grid with streets crisscrossing like tic-tac-toe or, perhaps, streets ringing the inner city in concentric circles like a target? And what would you put in the center of the community? A park? City hall? The business district? In Stamford, we have a bank, a business, a library and McDonalds at the heart of our city. When God planned his community for the Israelites, he put the “church” smack-dab in the middle, with “houses” streaming out in every direction- north, south, east and west. Of course the tabernacle wasn’t exactly a “church” as we might think of a steepled church today. In fact, the earliest church wasn’t a church at all if what we have in mind is bricks and mortar. Unlike the temples of Solomon and later Herod, the first Christians did not have any building for the sole purpose of worship for over two centuries. They just went from house to house. Nothing fancy, No pulpit. No pews. No steeples. Just a gathering group of believers sitting around tables enjoying fellowship with each other and God.
So where do you put the church in the community when there is no church building? How about in the families that comprise the community? That way the church is not just in the middle of the community, but on every block. And where is God’s dwelling place when it is set within families themselves? Smack dad in the middle, of course. In godly families, worship is always at the center of everything a family does, whether work or play, mealtime or prayer time. When God is at the heart of a family, and family after family centers itself on God, an entire community can be wondrously transformed – as if God planned it that way.
What is the center of your life? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? I have never met a person who has placed God at the center of their life and said to me, “God ruined my life.” But I can fill Boyle Stadium with people who have put themselves at the center and made total messes of their lives. Put God at the center of your heart, you will not be disappointed.
Credit F. LaGard Smith for some of these thoughts
Numbers 1-2
Numbers 2:1-2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: "The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family."
Suppose you were asked to design a planned community, complete with houses, shops, schools, churches and hospitals. Would you want there to be a grid with streets crisscrossing like tic-tac-toe or, perhaps, streets ringing the inner city in concentric circles like a target? And what would you put in the center of the community? A park? City hall? The business district? In Stamford, we have a bank, a business, a library and McDonalds at the heart of our city. When God planned his community for the Israelites, he put the “church” smack-dab in the middle, with “houses” streaming out in every direction- north, south, east and west. Of course the tabernacle wasn’t exactly a “church” as we might think of a steepled church today. In fact, the earliest church wasn’t a church at all if what we have in mind is bricks and mortar. Unlike the temples of Solomon and later Herod, the first Christians did not have any building for the sole purpose of worship for over two centuries. They just went from house to house. Nothing fancy, No pulpit. No pews. No steeples. Just a gathering group of believers sitting around tables enjoying fellowship with each other and God.
So where do you put the church in the community when there is no church building? How about in the families that comprise the community? That way the church is not just in the middle of the community, but on every block. And where is God’s dwelling place when it is set within families themselves? Smack dad in the middle, of course. In godly families, worship is always at the center of everything a family does, whether work or play, mealtime or prayer time. When God is at the heart of a family, and family after family centers itself on God, an entire community can be wondrously transformed – as if God planned it that way.
What is the center of your life? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? I have never met a person who has placed God at the center of their life and said to me, “God ruined my life.” But I can fill Boyle Stadium with people who have put themselves at the center and made total messes of their lives. Put God at the center of your heart, you will not be disappointed.
Credit F. LaGard Smith for some of these thoughts
Thursday, February 4, 2010
February 4
Read Numbers 3, 7, 8.
Dealing with discrepancies in the Bible, here is one that we need to handle.
Numbers 4:3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting. (Feb 6th reading)
Numbers 8:24 "This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
As we read through the Bible we will run into confusing issues like the age of those going into the priesthood. What is the age? Is it 25 or 30? These verses are only 4 chapters away from each other, either someone has made a tremendous mistake or there is another explanation. For those who are skeptics, they quickly point out the difference and say the Bible cannot be trusted. But I think there is a good explanation of the age difference. In the Jamison commentary he suggests: “They entered their work in the 25th year as pupils and probationers, under the superintendence and direction of their senior brethren; and at 30 they were admitted to the full discharge of their official functions.”
In other words this was a 5 year apprenticeship that preceded the actual service of the Levites. Is that too great leap of faith? I don’t think so.
If the skeptics are right and this is just a man-made book, even an elementary school child would have been able to point out the error in the text and correct it.
What is going on here is reading the Bible with a concrete literalness looking for things to be wrong and others reading it looking for reasonable explanations.
Another example ... Numbers 8:25 says that at the age of 50 the Levites must retire. That would mean I would be out of work today and I would be spending my days chasing a little white golf ball around a golf course. But the very next verse says “They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites."
Just as there might be other duties after the age of 50, so there might be duties under the age of 30. The point for us is to read the scriptures to get the full picture – looking first for the obvious, then looking again for the not so obvious.
Isn’t this a lot of fun!!! Keep on track for the next 28 days. Do not even think of quitting the race now!!!
I would like to thank Steve, Galya and Apryl for their weekly insights. They are doing an awesome job.
Dealing with discrepancies in the Bible, here is one that we need to handle.
Numbers 4:3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting. (Feb 6th reading)
Numbers 8:24 "This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
As we read through the Bible we will run into confusing issues like the age of those going into the priesthood. What is the age? Is it 25 or 30? These verses are only 4 chapters away from each other, either someone has made a tremendous mistake or there is another explanation. For those who are skeptics, they quickly point out the difference and say the Bible cannot be trusted. But I think there is a good explanation of the age difference. In the Jamison commentary he suggests: “They entered their work in the 25th year as pupils and probationers, under the superintendence and direction of their senior brethren; and at 30 they were admitted to the full discharge of their official functions.”
In other words this was a 5 year apprenticeship that preceded the actual service of the Levites. Is that too great leap of faith? I don’t think so.
If the skeptics are right and this is just a man-made book, even an elementary school child would have been able to point out the error in the text and correct it.
What is going on here is reading the Bible with a concrete literalness looking for things to be wrong and others reading it looking for reasonable explanations.
Another example ... Numbers 8:25 says that at the age of 50 the Levites must retire. That would mean I would be out of work today and I would be spending my days chasing a little white golf ball around a golf course. But the very next verse says “They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites."
Just as there might be other duties after the age of 50, so there might be duties under the age of 30. The point for us is to read the scriptures to get the full picture – looking first for the obvious, then looking again for the not so obvious.
Isn’t this a lot of fun!!! Keep on track for the next 28 days. Do not even think of quitting the race now!!!
I would like to thank Steve, Galya and Apryl for their weekly insights. They are doing an awesome job.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
February 3
Leviticus 8-10
Becoming a Priest
Over the next 30 days, we will enter into the most difficult part of our yearly journey. We will be reading the details of sacrifices, duties and laws that priests would be responsible for. Hang in there and be disciplined to read every day. Catching up with two or three days of reading can seem like a Mount Everest to climb over.
One of the most important truths to keep in mind is that these passages were actually written for us.
They will teach us: Romans 15:4 for everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
They will warn us: I Cor 10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
When we get to the New Testament we realize a tremendous change has occurred. God originally called the nation of Israel to be a nation of priests, but the people rejected that offer and asked for Moses and Aaron to be their priests. But when the church is established at Pentecost, God goes back to the original plan and makes everyone in the church a priest.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
God has called you to be a royal priesthood, so welcome to the ministry!!! What is interesting is that we are not given any further instructions. So how do we know what a priest does? Has a light suddenly popped into your head.... our reading over the next 30 days will be our job description.
The story of Nadab and Abihu give us a huge warning. God has given us specific instructions on how we are to approach him. Worship isn’t something we just feel. We don’t just “wing it” as a priest. Nadab and Abidu didn’t follow the instructions. They made light of their responsibility and because of it, they paid a huge price. It cost them their lives.
Leviticus 10:1-2 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. 2So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
The explanation of what they did wrong is deduced in the next few verses. They were drunk when they were doing their duties. This shows us their heart. They disrespected God and were more concerned with their own agenda than his.
As priests we don’t make up the rules for the game. God makes up the rules, and he expects us to follow them. The point of the next 30 days of reading is that we must make a distinction between the God we feel and the God who is revealed. In a day when most people don’t believe in absolute truth, we stand against the demagoguery and say there are absolutes that stand as pillars for our lives and our culture. As priests, we are to show people these absolutes and how they apply to life.
Becoming a Priest
Over the next 30 days, we will enter into the most difficult part of our yearly journey. We will be reading the details of sacrifices, duties and laws that priests would be responsible for. Hang in there and be disciplined to read every day. Catching up with two or three days of reading can seem like a Mount Everest to climb over.
One of the most important truths to keep in mind is that these passages were actually written for us.
They will teach us: Romans 15:4 for everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
They will warn us: I Cor 10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
When we get to the New Testament we realize a tremendous change has occurred. God originally called the nation of Israel to be a nation of priests, but the people rejected that offer and asked for Moses and Aaron to be their priests. But when the church is established at Pentecost, God goes back to the original plan and makes everyone in the church a priest.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
God has called you to be a royal priesthood, so welcome to the ministry!!! What is interesting is that we are not given any further instructions. So how do we know what a priest does? Has a light suddenly popped into your head.... our reading over the next 30 days will be our job description.
The story of Nadab and Abihu give us a huge warning. God has given us specific instructions on how we are to approach him. Worship isn’t something we just feel. We don’t just “wing it” as a priest. Nadab and Abidu didn’t follow the instructions. They made light of their responsibility and because of it, they paid a huge price. It cost them their lives.
Leviticus 10:1-2 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. 2So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
The explanation of what they did wrong is deduced in the next few verses. They were drunk when they were doing their duties. This shows us their heart. They disrespected God and were more concerned with their own agenda than his.
As priests we don’t make up the rules for the game. God makes up the rules, and he expects us to follow them. The point of the next 30 days of reading is that we must make a distinction between the God we feel and the God who is revealed. In a day when most people don’t believe in absolute truth, we stand against the demagoguery and say there are absolutes that stand as pillars for our lives and our culture. As priests, we are to show people these absolutes and how they apply to life.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Feb 2
Exodus 39:2-40:35
"The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord commanded. So Moses blessed them."
I've been watching a show on the Food Network called The Worst Cooks in America. It's a competition show where two professional chefs take teams of horrible, inexperienced cooks and see if they can turn them into talented chefs in 10 days. The contestant that did the best at the end won $25,000 and the privilege of not being known by their family and friends as the worst cook in America! I'd have to say that the most important piece of advice the professionals gave was this: Read the recipes entirely and follow them exactly. The people who did not follow the instructions ended up with food that was not acceptable and were eliminated from the show. The ones who did follow the recipes were rewarded with successful dishes, praise from their teachers, and the chance to win a prize.
God gave Moses and the Israelites a lot of instructions on building the tabernacle. Every detail from the curtains, the table, the alter, the lamp stands, the framework, to the priests' clothing was clearly spelled out by God. It was their job to follow God's instructions exactly in order to enjoy the end result: God's glory filling the finished tabernacle.
"Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."
God's purpose for giving all those detailed instructions was to create a place where He could be close to His people. It's important to follow God's directions for our lives. Doing what He commands will always bring us closer to Him.
"The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord commanded. So Moses blessed them."
I've been watching a show on the Food Network called The Worst Cooks in America. It's a competition show where two professional chefs take teams of horrible, inexperienced cooks and see if they can turn them into talented chefs in 10 days. The contestant that did the best at the end won $25,000 and the privilege of not being known by their family and friends as the worst cook in America! I'd have to say that the most important piece of advice the professionals gave was this: Read the recipes entirely and follow them exactly. The people who did not follow the instructions ended up with food that was not acceptable and were eliminated from the show. The ones who did follow the recipes were rewarded with successful dishes, praise from their teachers, and the chance to win a prize.
God gave Moses and the Israelites a lot of instructions on building the tabernacle. Every detail from the curtains, the table, the alter, the lamp stands, the framework, to the priests' clothing was clearly spelled out by God. It was their job to follow God's instructions exactly in order to enjoy the end result: God's glory filling the finished tabernacle.
"Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."
God's purpose for giving all those detailed instructions was to create a place where He could be close to His people. It's important to follow God's directions for our lives. Doing what He commands will always bring us closer to Him.
Monday, February 1, 2010
February 1: Exodus 35 - 38
Today’s reading is all about design. Why was God involved to the very detail and what each color, measurement and material meant? Yet, today I kept thinking of the purposefulness of God in what He does. So I thought I might do a little field trip and interview one of God’s beautiful creations on the topic of design: a modern day young designer called Cheryl :) God is the ultimate Creator of everything, yet amazingly He also gave the ability to create to his very own creation, one made in His image: people. We constantly see in these chapters that God used everyone according to the skills He gave them... So here is my conversation with Cheryl:
Q: What is your professional title?
A: Senior graphic designer.
Q: How would you describe your role?
A: Clients come to our company with a business problem, and I work off of our marketing department’s strategy to create a solution for them. The designs we create for the clients can be anywhere from company logos, printed materials and websites to creating a whole new brand system for a client. Elements we design need to look as part of a system representing their business.
Q: What is the definition of a designer?
A: Designer is a problem solver, thinking of both the big picture and all small details. There is nothing like a detail that does not matter in a design. Nothing is extraneous to the design. A designer has the ability to tell a story: you want to engage people to listen to what you are trying to communicate.
Q: To what extent do materials, measurements and tools matter in your job?
A: Very important. Measurements communicate to other people how to build something (vendors, developers, etc.) Materials will specifically indicate the type of result I want. You need to oversee the materials used so that you can achieve the right quality. If you want to produce something professionally you need to use the most current tools. The best tools used also indicate that you produced something well.
Q: To what extend does creativity matter in your job?
A: Extremely important. You have to question whatever the status quo is and come up with something new. You don't want to be limited by what everyone else does. There could be a better way to do things.
Q: What skills are necessary for your job?
A: You need to be educated in visual art, specifically design; you need to be able to express graphical communication in the simplest way to make it clear to the most amount of people. Also, you need computer skills, drawing ability. You need to also have general knowledge of culture, and how different things would be perceived.
Q: Does the client know or understand all the details or the details’ purpose in your design?
A: General person will not notice the details. They will get the communication but not necessarily the specifics.
Q: Why do you think is that?
A: The only people who actually are looking for the details are the designers. The average person won't think about how it is helping them. You just accept the design and take for granted how it works.
Q: How do you draw the line between a product your client’s need and unleashing your full creativity?
A: I don't feel constrained in my creativity. I am working towards a goal to meet the client's problem and I think of the best solution for the client.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
A: I enjoy the challenge of thinking of new things. I like fixing things. (Giggles)
Q: I really enjoyed what you said about the importance of details.
A: Yes, ultimately nothing is arbitrary. There is a reason behind everything.
I wanted to get transported via the phone radio waves and hug Cheryl! Of course this conversation is purely from a human perspective and some of it applies only to the job position discussed, but I believe our creativity (in any calling) mimics to an extent The Grand Designer. So much of what Cheryl said reminded me of how God works: out of pure passion and love for us (his children), with a purpose, with a grand plan, to the minor detail, solving our problems, loving his creation, and producing a great product: a relationship for us with Him. I hope when we read and try to understand all these details in Exodus and in the following books of the Bible, as numerous and perplexing as they may seem, that we’ll remember that every instruction of God has a good purpose for our lives. (Remember what was said on the blog about the tabernacle pointing to Christ?) I believe what Cheryl said about graphic design is true of God's instructions to us: "ultimately nothing is arbitrary. There is a reason behind everything."
Q: What is your professional title?
A: Senior graphic designer.
Q: How would you describe your role?
A: Clients come to our company with a business problem, and I work off of our marketing department’s strategy to create a solution for them. The designs we create for the clients can be anywhere from company logos, printed materials and websites to creating a whole new brand system for a client. Elements we design need to look as part of a system representing their business.
Q: What is the definition of a designer?
A: Designer is a problem solver, thinking of both the big picture and all small details. There is nothing like a detail that does not matter in a design. Nothing is extraneous to the design. A designer has the ability to tell a story: you want to engage people to listen to what you are trying to communicate.
Q: To what extent do materials, measurements and tools matter in your job?
A: Very important. Measurements communicate to other people how to build something (vendors, developers, etc.) Materials will specifically indicate the type of result I want. You need to oversee the materials used so that you can achieve the right quality. If you want to produce something professionally you need to use the most current tools. The best tools used also indicate that you produced something well.
Q: To what extend does creativity matter in your job?
A: Extremely important. You have to question whatever the status quo is and come up with something new. You don't want to be limited by what everyone else does. There could be a better way to do things.
Q: What skills are necessary for your job?
A: You need to be educated in visual art, specifically design; you need to be able to express graphical communication in the simplest way to make it clear to the most amount of people. Also, you need computer skills, drawing ability. You need to also have general knowledge of culture, and how different things would be perceived.
Q: Does the client know or understand all the details or the details’ purpose in your design?
A: General person will not notice the details. They will get the communication but not necessarily the specifics.
Q: Why do you think is that?
A: The only people who actually are looking for the details are the designers. The average person won't think about how it is helping them. You just accept the design and take for granted how it works.
Q: How do you draw the line between a product your client’s need and unleashing your full creativity?
A: I don't feel constrained in my creativity. I am working towards a goal to meet the client's problem and I think of the best solution for the client.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
A: I enjoy the challenge of thinking of new things. I like fixing things. (Giggles)
Q: I really enjoyed what you said about the importance of details.
A: Yes, ultimately nothing is arbitrary. There is a reason behind everything.
I wanted to get transported via the phone radio waves and hug Cheryl! Of course this conversation is purely from a human perspective and some of it applies only to the job position discussed, but I believe our creativity (in any calling) mimics to an extent The Grand Designer. So much of what Cheryl said reminded me of how God works: out of pure passion and love for us (his children), with a purpose, with a grand plan, to the minor detail, solving our problems, loving his creation, and producing a great product: a relationship for us with Him. I hope when we read and try to understand all these details in Exodus and in the following books of the Bible, as numerous and perplexing as they may seem, that we’ll remember that every instruction of God has a good purpose for our lives. (Remember what was said on the blog about the tabernacle pointing to Christ?) I believe what Cheryl said about graphic design is true of God's instructions to us: "ultimately nothing is arbitrary. There is a reason behind everything."
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