Proclaim Trust’s first office was in my bedroom. I lived in a shared house where we all had our own room. Our second office was in Champness Hall in Rochdale. Then we took out a lease and moved into a more spacious place.
Before we moved into those offices, we decorated all the way through, and then we moved in the furniture and added some extra things. In my office, there was a large wall, and I told my wife, Tina, that I wanted to put something really significant on it. Three weeks after we had moved in, I was having a look around an art shop and I came across a painting called New Horizons. It shows a beautiful horizon across a wide expanse. I saw this and thought, ‘That’s it. That’s what needs to go on my wall.’ I took it back to the office. I put it on the wall, and every day that we had that office I would look up at the picture and be reminded that God is a God of New Horizons!
I’ve discovered that when we give God consent to enter into our lives, he then gets out his paint brush and starts to paint new horizons for us to reach for, one after the other. The first new horizon that God painted for me was purpose. He gave me a reason for living. The next new horizon he painted for me was education. I’d messed up the first-time round, so God took out his paint brush and painted that one for me early on in my journey. Another new horizon that God painted for me was marriage. I’d had relationships in the past that hadn’t lasted, and to be honest, it wasn’t really on my agenda, but God had a different plan, so he took out his paintbrush and painted that one for me too. Since my faith journey began, there has been one new horizon after another. It’s been an amazing journey, and it hasn’t finished yet because there are many more new horizons to come!
We are not in that office anymore. But now, Adelle, who used to work for us, has that picture on her wall at home! And God has been painting new horizons for her too!
What new horizons could God paint for you? Have you messed up and feel like it’s the end? Are you in a situation where it looks like there’s no way out? Could you do with some new horizons to reach for?
Michelangelo was walking past his friend’s house. He saw the lights on. He thought his friend had gone away. So he walked up and looked through the window and saw an easel and some paints. And he thought, ‘Just think what a picture I could paint if I could just get inside the house.’ This is exactly what God thinks when he stands outside your life looking in: ‘Just think what a picture I could paint if I could just get inside the house.’ When you allow God to come in, he then gets out his paint brush and starts to paint new horizons for you!
Barry