The Netherlands is home to some of the most famous artists of all time. Have you heard of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh? There are many works on display, each with its unique creator at the Rijksmuseum.
I am proud of my roots and would highly recommend visiting the Rijksmuseum when you are in the neighborhood.
The Bigger Picture
When looking at a painting from someone like Van Gogh, it is important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture that the artist meant to convey.
Let’s go back to our little spot in Nova Scotia. We saw it all from a distance, the waves crashing against the rocks below, the moon making a rare appearance during the day, and the horizon far away.
To see it all in one big picture, we were made aware of the bigger plan that the Creator had in mind. A plan with our 7 billion people on this planet. It says in the first book of the Bible:
“Let us make man in Our Image, according to Our likeness, let them have dominion…”¹
And in Genesis 1:27, He says:
“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.”
God’s intention for humanity is to have dominion over the earth. To reflect His light; whether we acknowledge, know it, or don’t give it a thought. God’s plan is and was to provide humanity a place in His creation and to have dominion over the earth.
Analyzing the Bigger Picture
Now, do we do this? Do we reflect the image of our Creator? Or did we lose contact somewhere along the way?
It became an interesting conversation there on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As we talked, it became evident that everyone has a purpose, and we fall short. The first man lost his purpose to express the riches and glory of God in creation.
While the first man lost this privilege, we need to ask ourselves how we get back what was once lost. The simple answer is that no one can get it back unless we are restored to the original state—the state of reconciliation between man and his Creator.
You might say, “I never lost dominion. I handle my own affairs; I don’t need a Creator to do this.” But there are 7 billion people on earth, and each one of us has lost the connection with God.
Many religions in the world are looking for reconciliation and peace of heart. We have Islam, Hinduism, the most conservative forms of Christianity, and everything in between. All of these religions are looking for a solution to find the connection with the source, whether they know it or not.
Connecting With the Creator
They may not realize that the connection with their Creator is needed; however, everyone is looking to re-connect with the source of life.
The thing that the first man lost is something that every person searches for to get back. A soaring bird is happiest to be in its place that was created for him, the sky. A fish needs to be in the water, or it will die. A plant needs to be firmly rooted in the soil, or it will die too.
Disconnect man with his source, and he will surely die.²
Is there a possibility for returning that connection to its original source? We will search for the answer together over the next little while.
Going Upstream
Going Upstream is never in a hurry. Upstream is always harder and slower than going with the flow. But you know what? You are unique; you are different than the others, but it requires hard work. Just remember that the main thing is to keep swimming.
We Keep Going
My wife made some delicious sandwiches, ask my kids; they will tell you that she makes excellent food. Our conversations served as a beautiful side of spiritual nourishment. With an empty picnic basket and full bellies, we continued on our adventure and admired the handy work of our Creator.
If you know us, you’ll know that we love driving. One of the big reasons is that we carry out fruitful conversations. Of course, the Cabot Trail is an inspiration itself, but we also planned to walk the Skyline Trail, a 7.5 km with a beautiful ocean view.
The following blog will tell you all about this!
- ¹ Genesis 1:26 NKJV
- ² Genesis 2:17 NKJV