I recently encountered the artist Julian Rad, a Wildlife Photographer and was mesmerized by his technique. The energy and his ability to wait patiently, to capture intimate details of creations life, WOW!. The process was curious to me. As I watched Julian at work through video, I thought, “What a wonderful gift and prevlidge Julian has, to dwell in the world with each detailed moment as a neighbor of creation.” Julians movement is light and gentle, as the effort expended must come with a soothing softness so not to scare away nature. Julian invites an intmate relationship of observation. Obviously the animals must be watching Julian too, taking in his smell, keen to quick movements. “Is that human safe?”

As I contemplated the interaction between human and nature, through the art work of Julian Rad, my mind wondered to the book of Job. While, not the most popular book in the bible, avoiding it is a missed opportunity to see the intimate relationship God has with creation.

Many people think of a creator creating and then releasing the creation to itself to ‘figure it out”. Some people even consider that God created, set the world in motion, and then narrowed in on humanity, leaving nature as a back drop to story. But when one reads the book of Job, there is a pleasant surprise. God is intimately aware of every detail, and the reader starts to understand with more depth, that God is an artist concerned with the tiniest and largest aspects of movement and being.

Now the book of Job begins in language that many claim as evidence of God’s willfulness to let evil happen, but that stands juxtapose to the language God uses as God addresses Job and his companions starting at chapter 38. God knows details only an artist can know, and when an artist gives a masterpiece as a gift, do they simultaniously set a plan to destroy it? Or is it more likly they will go to every effort to protect the masterpiece? And maybe, even work to call others into the act of protecting the masterpiece?

Protecting the masterpiece, what a unique way to think about God’s postions as God eyes with detail God’s handiwork. God is not callous with God’s response to Job. God is aware of and accountable to God’s own authority, acknowledging boundaries God institutied for the well being of the materpiece. Protecting the masterpiece, is this not the story of the Good News, the account of the Emmanuel, God working through every detail, as humanity has attempted to paint over and manipulate God’s brush strokes?

Every detail, how often we miss what God sees? Every detail, how important it is to the masterpiece. Every detail, how wonderful that we are, if we simply look, prevlidged to gaze upon it with new vision, taking to heart the great love God has put in each detail, and understanding that we are a part of that carefully crafted masterpice. What refreshement it is for our souls to know we belong to the masterpiece and the artisit who crafted each detail. What good news!

Let us pray. God you opened yourself up to Job and spoke a truth that we humans often miss, that you are the master artist and accountable to the masterpiece of your hands. Give us eyes to see the see wonder of your creation, details we often neglect becasue of our fears or worries, pride and ego. Give us gentle feet to stand in peaceful companionship with your creation, inviting new relationships we might other wise avioid or overlook. Lastly, guide us to understand ourselves as a loving detail of your masterpiece worthy of your protective hand, and Good News. Amen.

Thank Julian Rad for the expression of your creative energy. Thank you for the way your artistry highlights the beauty of the world. I pray your images will be tools to help guide thosee with short sighted vision to see creation as more valuable than we can even begin to imagine. May you be graced with abundant goodness as you share the wonders of nature with humanity.

Pictures in this post are screenshot of Julian’s Instagram page. Please check it out at Julainradwildlife. Thank you for sharing your talent with us Julian.