Unfolded

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NRSV)

Origami, the art of folding, dates back some thousand years to an ancient Oriental process of folding a two-dimensional piece of paper creating a three-dimensional sculpture. Oftentimes, the sculptures are representational of nature or objects—birds, flowers, or shapes.

When I think of origami, an excerpt from a poem by a German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, intrigues me.

 I don't want to stay folded anywhere, 

because where I am folded,

 there I am a lie.

and I want my grasp of things to be. 

true before you.

Do you feel folded? You may feel creased by difficult experiences but certainly don’t feel your life is a work of art.

Childhood insecurities influenced my life’s choices as I became older. Many decisions clearly stemmed from lessons learned as a child, but some choices were confusing and questionable—whether I understood sin or not. Shame, guilt and feelings of failure began folding my confidence. Maturity brought insecurity and even more spiritual questions. 

Will I be condemned for my sins?

What does God think of me? 

Is there a place in Eternity for me? 

What is my true identity?

As a young wife and mother, I realized I needed to understand more about the God I had believed in since I was twelve years old. But did I truly believe He loved and cared for me as an individual?

The search was on as I “grew up” in my faith walk.

My questions were gradually answered through earnest prayer as the Holy Spirit led me through key scriptures. My identity in Christ began to unfold before my eyes as I searched with a repentant and teachable heart.

Through that unfolding I slowly became a New Creation—His unique work of art!

Jill Hendrix
Book of Hours, Love Poems to God: Rilke, Rainer Maria,1875-1926.