Museo de Thyssen

Hola todos! 

My adventures in Spain have almost reached two weeks! I can't believe how quickly time has passed. We went to the thyseen last Saturday afternoon and if you were born in 1992, you got in for free to celebrate their 20th birthday! I'm going to be honest and say that I'm one of those people who do not particular adore museums, so free entrance was a definite win in my book. The majority of the group went and since there are about 15 of us, we tend to move rather slowly. This time it wasn't as much of a problem because everyone could look at the art at their own pace. It was crazy to see these paintings from so long ago! Such amazing detail that brought you back to exactly when it was painted. It was like time traveling. I also loved the 'religious paintings' sections because as I was looking at dates that went all the way back to the 1400's, I was reminded of how transcendent God's love story to us is. 

We also went through a room of 'retratos' or portraits. All these important people had commissioned a painter to capture the memory of who they were. I realized that however important they were, I, and most of these people looking at their portrait legitimately have no idea who they were. I couldnt help but to think about what I'm doing on earth  and what kind of legacy I'm leaving. Is it even about leaving a legacy and making my name known to be remembered? 

Millions and millions of people have gone before me and passed, but what impact have they left. In one part it makes me feel insanely small, like anything I do will be forgotten. On the other side, I'm pushed to ask if its even about being remembered or about making something else big? What about God? I know that as a daughter of Christ, I have been chosen by Christ, not by my own work but out of his pure grace and mercy. For this reason, I know that my life and soul are counted as precious, but what's the point in making my own name or any of my achievements important if this whole world is going to pass away. There will not be a u-haul behind my hearse. Matthew 6:19-21 tells us, 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy,and where thieves break in and steal.

 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  God is showing me that there is no way that I will ever find contentment in this world if I continue to store up my treasure here. By Christ's strength, If everything I live to do is to serve and glorify the Lord, I am storing up my treasure in heaven--a place that will never fall away but is a "kingdom that can never be shaken." Jesus tells us that wherever were storing up our treasure, there our heart, desire, and love is. We have two options: the fleeting world or the Lord's eternal kingdom. Even as I'm writing this, I am being convicted of how much I fail and choose the world over Jesus. I choose to continue walking and not offer a smile. I choose facebook over quiet time. I choose to worry about exams and not give God praise for going to school. This is when I look toward the cross and am reminded that everyday my sinful heart desires to not choose Jesus but that He reached down to me and told me that I don't have to strive to be prefect or important. He has made me perfectly righteous through His sacrifice! Even when I feel like the people in these painting, I can look to the cross and be reminded that with and through Christ, He will push and teach my sinful heart to store up my treasure in heaven. He is teaching me that this world is about making Him famous, and about leaving a legacy by telling others about the radical, beautiful, in changing love that Christ has for every person. 


In Christ,
Abigail