by Gary Howell
(Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/hunter-m/
Flickr creative commons attribute license)
Serving at church can easily become routine. We might develop confidence in using our cameras, and we may also have confidence in our ability and knowledge of how to capture great shots. This might lead us to an inclination to go about our photo shoot without much thought to the power of the Holy Spirit. However, God wants us to rely upon him in all things.
In the photography ministry, I see two big opportunities in which we can rely upon the Holy Spirit:
Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you capture the image
God sees everything everywhere all the time. He is the creator of light, and He himself, is light. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5) Since photography is all about capturing light, there is no better expert than God himself. So remember before you head out to your next photo shoot, don’t rely upon yourself and your own skills. Rather, ask the Holy Spirit to be with you and to guide you, and to help you capture the shot that will so perfectly reflect his will and his glory in the event being photographed.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to use your images to draw people closer to Christ
In our busy, hectic lives it’s sometimes easy to upload our images and then forget about them, “Mission accomplished, job done.” Instead, take a moment before you upload your images, to ask the Holy Spirit that your images might be used to impact, influence and draw people closer to him. Perhaps you’re image will be the one thing that causes a person to make the decision to get baptized. Perhaps your image will be the main influence that causes a person to step out in greater faith with their tithing. Perhaps your image will be the pivotal influence that causes a person to decide to join a home group, or begin to serve, or perhaps even to make a decision for Christ for the first time in their life. God can use the photographs you take to draw people closer to him, and we should be praying for the Holy Spirit to do so.
So remember the next time you’re heading out to a photo shoot, pray for the Holy Spirit to help you and guide you to capture the images, and the next time you’re uploading your finished products onto the server pray that God makes your efforts fruitful for His kingdom.
