I've been painting a lot of lions lately. Their beauty and raw power draws me to them. Like the beauty and power of Jesus that causes me to tremble in His presence and to be embraced by His love, as He whispers, "You are my One Thing."
"I am fully devoted to my beloved and my beloved is fully devoted to me." -Song of Songs
I have read through the ancient scriptures many times. But for years, I kind of skimmed through (or even skipped) Song of Songs. The level of intimacy in this poetry was a bit too much for me. The truth is, I had built walls around my heart that made it impossible for this level of beauty and intimacy to penetrate.
The journey of life slaps us with ample misfortunes. We build walls around our hearts for protection. Through the pain, we vow to never allow "that" (whatever it may be) to hurt us again. And let's be honest, there's been more than enough pain going around lately. Walls are being built higher and more quickly than ever.
Jesus Christ reminds us that in this world we will have trouble, but that He has overcome the world. He promises to never leave us nor abandon us. He fills us with His peace, which is so much greater than any peace we seek through worldly comforts.
He was relentless in His pursuit of my heart. Layer by layer, He peeled off the outer crusts. I began to see the beauty and depth of His love through this very intimate book, Song of Songs, and by spending time with Him. I'm not the same person I used to be. As you walk with Him, He brings you into deeper levels of His love. With Him, you can not only survive, but you can thrive in the chaos of this world.
God guides us through His Word and His Spirit. Ancient writings are alive today in a collection of 66 books called the Bible. From Psalm 54, a raw, vulnerable cry of our hearts:
"God, deliver me by your mighty name! Come with your glorious power and save me! Listen to my prayer; turn your ears to my cry!...
The Lord God has become my divine helper. He leans into my heart and lays his hands upon me.... Lord, I will offer myself freely, and everything I am I give to you. I will worship and praise your name, O Lord, for it is precious to me. Through you I'm saved - rescued from every trouble." (vs 1,2,4,6,7 TPT)
The painting "You Are My One Thing" was created during a worship service at Citipointe Noco. I pray over each canvas and before the worship event, I painted this passage from Job 33:4 onto it:
"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life."
Nuzzling with Jesus, I can feel His breath giving me life.
The original painting already has a home, but I will be making prints. If you would like to order a print, please contact me.
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