“Guided Safely Home”: A Visual Tribute to Dr. Eldon DeWitt

The basis of this composite is the same as the one below titled "Deliver Us From Evil".  It is eerie to me now that I made the other one.  I had been working on this artwork for my pastor and dear friend, Eldon DeWitt, for a long time.  On September 19th, I took the rough draft I was working on for him, which I was planning to give him for his birthday on November 10th, and made the darker composite for Pirate Day (which always seems to bring out in me a strong desire to witness for the Lord).  It seemed the Lord was helping me, as the daunting task of blending many images went very quickly.  I was almost finished with Eldon's composite, and I was very excited about that!  I didn't want to spoil his surprise though, so I didn't share the intermediate version with him.  When he died of a heart attack on September 24th, completely unexpectedly, as he was very healthy, including his heart,  I almost threw out the entire thing.  I'm glad I didn't, as now it speaks of his heavenly homecoming!  Death and evil have been defeated by Jesus Christ, as Eldon well knows.

I have written a more personal essay concerning this picture and how Eldon inspired it and helped me in my spiritual and artistic development.  You may read it on my Facebook wall: here is a link to it.  In this blog, I will make brief references to the symbolic meanings of this piece.

Really, this artwork has a double-entendre, as it is just as applicable for a person living on this Earth as it is for a person whose spirit has left his bodily dwelling and has gone to his heavenly home.   We call that death, but when we are born-again children of God, not only do we have hope of eternal life in heaven with God, but we also have the hope of receiving a new, heavenly body-- free from pain and sickness, and with capabilities we only have glimpsed.   The temporary separation of physical death is extremely difficult, as Eldon's friends and family will testify, but it cannot be compared with the eternal agony of separation from God that those who do not accept Christ will experience.  That truly is grief not to be faced.  Today is the day of salvation, and Jesus has His arms open wide to receive those who will come, offering us Life instead of the Second Death, and so much more. . .

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. "

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 NKJV

That leads me to the temporal meaning of a ship (representing someone's life) being led into a dangerous and rocky cove by the light of a lighthouse:  the Spirit of God is faithfully drawing men, women and children into the safety of His realm.  Whether we have strayed away from Him, drifting on the seas of circumstance, or whether we are still waiting to be found, He is calling His people home.  His covenant is so great that I cannot begin to go into it here, but forgiveness and cleansing from sin, healing of emotional wounds and physical disease, everlasting love, acceptance and belonging in His holy family, and His nature imparted and trained into us through His Word and the help of His servants: all these are there for us, and much, much more.

Since this artwork was done specifically for my friend, his unique interests are included.  The eagle was a special symbol to him, and though I'm not completely sure what it meant to him, I can guess that it had partly to do with soaring into the heavenly realm by the Spirit, and receiving a prophetic message from the Lord to give to His people.  So this eagle represents Eldon himself, who so loved the Word and the presence of God.  He always had a revelation of truth from God to give us, represented by the scroll.  That reminds me of the scrolls in Scripture:

And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness. Ezekiel 3:3

Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." Revelation 10:10-11

The burning bush, as I talked about in the previous blog, represents the manifest presence of God, such as how Moses saw the glory of the Lord and heard the call of God.  This burning bush sign not only represents a level of presence of God that Eldon always pursued, but it also symbolizes the people of God when they are "on fire" with the Spirit and Truth of God in their lives.  Eldon was certainly a "burning bush" while he was here with us.  He always said that trees represented knowledge or people.  Here it can represent both, a greater knowledge of God and a greater presence of God in our own being.

I left the treasure in this version of the artwork.  Its meaning is different however, for Eldon had truly left behind all pursuit of earthly wealth, and completely trusted God's provision for his needs.  Eldon's treasure was the things of God.  He treasured every word God spoke to him, whether through study of the written word or revelations he received through dreams or any other means.  He was never a "hireling", meaning: he didn't serve in the ministry for gain, but because he knew the call of God on his life, feared the Lord and obeyed Him, and had the Father's heart for the healing and restoration of people, he treasured the people of God and the gifts that were placed in them.  He constantly worked in the Kingdom, with very little earthly reward.  Therefore, this treasure also represents "gold tried by fire", the heavenly riches he sought for and imparted, and the heavenly reward he will receive as the Father says, "Well done, good and faithful servant". (Matthew 25:23)

Credits: these are additional credits to the ones listed in "Deliver Us From Evil":

Eagles on the beach © Jim Dubois

Sunset At Orre Beach, Norway © Harald Tjøstheim
Manuscript with flowers 2 © Alexmax
Images from Dreamstime.com
 
"Guided Safely Home" is a composite artwork by Karen Gladys Henry © 2009.  All rights reserved.  For permission to use this image in any way other than copying to your computer as wallpaper, please email me at ArteZoe@gmail.com  Thank you.

Deliver Us From Evil

This composite is quite simple in meaning, so I won't have to write much here.  Obviously this depicts danger and the need for guidance, protection and deliverance from evil, as the title says.

The waves and the rocks are one easy-to-find danger: there are many difficulties and obstacles to overcome in our lives (a ship represents a person's life, and/or ministry), including natural disasters that happen at an increasing pace.  The lighthouse is shining, which is the Truth of the Gospel (and thus, the Church, who has the Truth in her).  We do not have to fear, for He is with us always:

". . . teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."  Matthew 28:20

This does make it clear that He expects us to hear and obey His commands. 

Jesus instructed us to pray for deliverance from evil in what we call "The Lord's Prayer" (which is really His example for us to pray):

"And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."  Matthew 6:13

Some translations say simply "evil" rather than "the evil one".  One reference stated that the presence of a certain article makes it clear it is being specific about "the evil one" rather than simply "evil".  If we know what Jesus accomplished by His life, death and resurrection, we realize that Satan is already defeated, and that Jesus gave us an example of how to resist the enemy:  "it is written".  I don't intend to go into depth on that today, as it is a topic clearly seen in Scripture and much written about. I exhort you to study it out yourself if you feel that Satan is constantly defeating you.  Jesus won the victory over Satan and over all evil.  He made you to be "more than a conqueror"!

In the artwork, there are some gold coins in the corner.  This is a representation of this truth:

"For the love of money is a root of all [kinds of] evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. "  I Timothy 1:10

Notice that "kinds of" is in brackets, meaning that these words are not in the original: therefore it says "a root of all evil".  I didn't write it!  Is is so hard to think that any evil you see can somehow be coming out of a root of the "love of money"?  In the picture, somebody buried some treasure, and someone apparently died over it!  In a "parable" sort of way, pirates are the epitome of the "love of money."  Don't we all have greed, selfishness and whatever else that is unholy and unworthy inside of us, until we allow the Holy Spirit and the Word to rout it out of us.  The danger depicted in this artwork is not only physical danger, danger from a marauding enemy, danger from the temptations of this age, but also the evil that lurks in the depths of our own hearts (God calls it "iniquity").  Thank God Jesus paid for this as well, forgives us and cleanses us. 

Another part of "The Lord's Prayer" is relevant to this:

And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us." Luke 11:4

Taken very literally, we see we must forgive "those who are indebted to us".  If we're greedy, we won't even forgive someone a monetary debt.  But there is pride and other things that keep us from releasing others from whatever debt they may have incurred, for example, even a small thing such as "hurting our feelings".  So I see unforgiveness as a definite danger we need to be delivered from.

I could go on and on, but I'll try to stay close to the picture.  The last symbolic reference I see here is the burning bush, representing God's manifest presence, as Moses saw it:

So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."  Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.  So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites."  Exodus 3:3- 8

Moses had a fear of the Lord, which enabled him to obey Him and deliver the Israelites from their land of captivity.  Moses is a "type" of Christ, showing in a real-life parable everything that Jesus would do for us, including delivering us from evil and leading us to His Kingdom flowing with milk and honey.

"Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."  Galatians 1:3-5

Without a proper fear of the Lord (not a "phobia" that keeps us away from Him), we do not listen for His voice, follow His lead, or enter in by faith into the promises.  I, for one, want to submit to Him so that I can not only watch the devil flee from me, but be freed from the iniquity that leaves me open to temptation.  I want to overcome all the obstacles of this present age and enter safely into my King's presence.

If you see anything else in this artwork, I'd love for you to leave a comment and share it with me.

Here are the credits for the individual licensed images I used:

Treasure Beach Tree © Greg Payan | Dreamstime.com

Flames and brush © Peter Armstrong | Dreamstime.com

Carved Skull © Claire Collier | Dreamstime.com

Unfolded book dark smudged paper © Alexmax | Dreamstime.com

Surf & Clouds 3 © Joe Gough | Dreamstime.com

Seagull on the beach © Eric Gevaert | Dreamstime.com

Treasure! © Kristin Speed | Dreamstime.com

Bass Harbor Head © David Davis | Dreamstime.com

Rugged Coast of Pt Lobos © Ron Kacmarcik | Dreamstime.com

Atlantic Ocean coast © Anton Gvozdikov | Dreamstime.com

Hermit Crab 4 © Jose Gil | Dreamstime.com

Lighthouse No.2 © Npage | Dreamstime.com

Dreamy Sunrise on Tropical Beach © Heico Neumeyer | Dreamstime.com

Green waves I. © Erik Van Den Elsen | Dreamstime.com

Three-Masted Schooner On York River in Virginia © Kcastagnola | Dreamstime.com

This blog and artwork is by Karen Gladys Henry, Copyright 2009, All rights reserved.  For permission to use please email me at ArteZoe@gmail.com   Thank you.
This work is available for purchase at Imagekind.com, See my gallery.

Entrance

I started this composite last year, I think, and once I got the images pieced together, it was mind-bogglingly tedious work getting it all blended. I am now glad that my work on it was temporarily suspended as I gathered my resolve to finish it. Right after I did, my pastor began teaching on some things that gave me more insight into this image.

As I had already chosen to call it "Entrance", I had realized I was depicting an entrance into the Kingdom of God. The circular doorway represents eternity. The woman standing there is symbolic of the Church of believers, and the lion on the top left stands for Christ, the Lion of Judah. To me it seems the woman is curtsying to Him, or greeting Him in a loving and worshipful manner. She has on a veil, since she is His Bride, but she is not dressed in white linen yet, as the works she is to do are empowered from the Kingdom, which she has not yet entered.

On this side of the wall, we see a rather watery garden, representing the Earth. At this point, the woman is still facing the Earth, or her earthly life. There are three "waters" here: the sea (humanity), the fountain which is old and toppling over into the sea (religion), and the stream of Life, which is flowing out from the Kingdom. The Tree has roots going down into the sea, showing that Jesus has roots in the Earth because He was the Son of Man. But the Tree is on top of the wall, and if we use our imaginations we can see there are roots going down the other side of the wall into the heavenly Kingdom, because Jesus is also the Son of God. The stream represents "the Way", which is full of difficulties, but leads straight to the Kingdom. The stream also is Jesus, as He is the Way. He is also the Entrance.* Above the circular door are the Greek letters alpha and omega, which represent the beginning and the end, and this is a name used for Jesus in the Bible. Jesus, the King, is overseeing the earthly garden as well as the heavenly Kingdom and the gateway into it. He glows with His own light.

On the other side of the entrance, we see a vista of glowing mountains, clouds and heavenly lights representing a spiritual and perfect realm we've rarely or never seen with our eyes. There is a sunrise/sunset because the sun is setting on one era and rising on another. There is outer space and galaxies because the Kingdom is much greater than anything we can grasp or imagine. It encompasses all of creation. The huge mountain represents the Kingdom of God as is depicted in Daniel's dream: a mountain that is covering the whole world (Daniel 2:35,44). Until the Bride enters the Kingdom, the government of God does not cover the earth. But when she submits to her Lord, she becomes part of the Entrance, and the Kingdom of God will enter the earthly garden through her, creating the situation needed for the King to return to Earth in person.

Although the earthly garden reflects some of the heavenly realm, and one can see some of it if one lifts the eyes upward or gets close to the Entrance, it is still difficult to see from the vantage point shown in this artwork. This is where my pastor's teaching offers some insight.

He began with this scripture, where Jesus says:

"If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" John 3:12

At church, we discussed how the earthly things were those things revealed by scripture, especially things Jesus said and did, that pertain to life here. This includes repentance and forgiveness, all kinds of healing and deliverance, and learning how to walk in Spirit and Truth. Most scripture has to do with earthly things, things we need now. Since Jesus is the door into Life, and the Way to God, we must accept Him as Savior in order to see the Kingdom.*

Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

After we've followed Him for a while we begin to see what the Kingdom of God is all about. We start out thinking it's just about after we die we get to go to heaven. But as we mature, we realize there is much more, and that it is for now as well as later.

". . . as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3-11 NKJV

Notice that he says that if we lack these things we are shortsighted, or blind, meaning that we can't see the Kingdom! But if we are diligent about obtaining them, we will be supplied an entrance into that Kingdom.

After Jesus' initial statement to Nicodemus about being born again, he said something else:

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' John 3:5-7

Nicodemus didn't get it, and this is where Jesus said "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" Being born again is an earthly thing! How do we get born again? By believing the Word and receiving it/Him. The Word is Truth and Jesus is Truth. First our minds our renewed by hearing the Word; we begin to change and grow by acting on it in faith. But we also need to receive it into our hearts: this is being born again in the Spirit. The Word grows in our hearts until He is all in all~ of full stature. This is when we gain an entrance into the Kingdom. But first we must see it, or we won't keep on the difficult Way to Life.

Jesus' prayer to the Father, before he was crucified and resurrected, was that we would be one with Him, the Father, and one another (John 17). This is accomplished in the Spirit as we lay down the things that hinder us and we allow God to rule us. We are "seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 1:20), but we have to learn to walk in that reality. He has already purchased it for us, and He is in us and we are in Him if we are born again. But how many of us participate in that? It is His desire that we not only see the Kingdom from afar and hope to enter it after we die, but that we see it as right near us, that we press on to enter it, and that we regularly take what we gain there and demonstrate it in the earthly realm. This is my spiritual quest.

'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:14- 22 NKJV

Flowers:
In Victorian lore, as far as I can find, wisteria represents "youth and poetry". If I take it in a spiritual sense, to me it represents humility, teachability and prophetic revelation. It also has an appearance like grapes, so it also says fruitfulness to me. And I have to say, it partly just needed to be there as a visual balance. The irises are quite significant, I found out after I put them there. It's not a biblical meaning, but a traditional, Victorian one (I think the Lord can still use our understood languages as a means of communication). It means "I have a message for you", and also stands for faith, wisdom, promise in love, hope and valor. All these are found in the 2 Peter passage.

I hope this stirs you to pursue what has been offered us through Christ. I am seeking to see much more of the Kingdom, so that I can help others enter in.


*To the sides of this picture there are two other openings in the wall. These are not "other ways to God". The fact is that God is a triune being, and He's the only door into His own Kingdom. The reality that Jesus is the Way to Life and God is not my idea: it is not a product of personal prejudice or intolerance. It's God's own statement: He chose to give Christ "all authority in heaven and on earth". If it were up to me, I'd make it easy. But it's not up to me. If you don't believe my testimony and that of the Bible, then ask God to show you the truth of it, and if you really want to know, He will show you. Then you'll know I'm not making it up. You can have an internal witness that is unassailable.

Credits for this artwork:

Many images went into making this~ my thanks to all the photographers:
http://www.dreamstime.com/cascading-mountain-stream-rimage5820508-resi122770
http://www.dreamstime.com/circular-port-in-chinese-garden-rimage4432113-resi122770http://www.dreamstime.com/himalayan-mountain-rimage4791266-resi122770http://www.dreamstime.com/italian-renaissance-dress-rimage3246760-resi122770www.dreamstime.com/roots-rimage632696-resi122770www.dreamstime.com/water-fountain-rimage120017-resi122770www.dreamstime.com/lion-rimage2097236-resi122770http://www.dreamstime.com/purple-flowers-wisteria-rimage705712-resi122770http://www.dreamstime.com/rocks-rapids-along-a-stream-rimage2393809-resi122770www.dreamstime.com/the-old-barn-rimage5454492-resi122770 [irises]
[tree image no longer available]
My own sunset and ocean photos were used, along with a public domain space photo. The image inside the circular entrance is also a composite of my own photos.

Renaissance

I made this collage with the true Easter message in mind, that is, the Resurrection of Christ. But it goes beyond just a celebration of the event, which boggles the mind if one really thinks about it! Jesus Christ rose from the dead!! This picture has a lot to do with what that means for us. I'll try to go in a straight line in describing this, but the image is easier to do than the description! "Renaissance" refers to rebirth, new life and vitality, and in the historical context and application, a great revival of all creativity, knowledge and industrious pursuit that comes from being tapped in to the life of God.

The "headless" mannequin represents the individual Christian, and also the Body of Christ. He is the Head and we are members of His Body. This is not just a metaphor~ it is a reality! Unless we get a handle on this concept and begin to live it, we will not be able to appropriate (grasp, receive, put into practice, get the benefit of) what Christ did for us. When He died, He set the "will and testament" in motion, meaning we can now receive our inheritance as the children of God and joint heirs with Christ. When Jesus rose from the dead, He conquered death, and is now alive forever to see to it that we come into the full oneness with God that was intended. Without submission to God and His will, we are not allowing the Head to rule in our life, and truly we are cut off from the source of life that is in us.

Too many Christians quote the verse "we have the mind of Christ" and don't seek to actually have it. We're not born with it!! Surely we have a new nature in our born-again spirits, with the capacity for spiritual understanding and growth. But it is not a given that we will grow and mature, or that we will gain all that we have a potential for. We must pursue it, according to the Scriptures and the leading of the Holy Spirit. His mind, more expansive and full of all wisdom and knowledge beyond what we can comprehend or imagine, is available to us at all times. But we must undergo a transformation! Our carnal mind(which is earthly, sinful and dark, and focused on death and lies) must be changed and renewed in order to understand and act upon the truth and light that is in the mind of God. Jesus made a way for us, but we must give up our old ways of thinking. Our belief systems are grungy, don't function properly, and lead us down all the wrong paths. The Scriptures are alive and active to restore the functions of our minds, and emotions as well. This enables our bodies to work properly also. The more our minds are changed from the old dead nature to the new, the more of a "renaissance" we will experience. This is true revival, not just church meetings.

In this image, you can see an iconic picturization* of Jesus carrying the cross. The mannequin has got its arm through it, signifying that we must embrace the cross. This means saying (and meaning) the same as Jesus did in Gethsemane, "not my will but thine be done." This place of submission to the Father's will gets us out of a place of religion and into true relationship. Jesus sought to know the Father's will, and when He knew it, He obeyed it. If it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.

The Lamb is the symbol of Christ in the place of sacrifice for our sins. The fact that He calls us His lamb and His sheep, indicates that we are meant to identify with Him: but substituting Himself for us, we are spared the eternal punishment we deserved and by accepting the resurrection, we accept the exchange of our old life for His new one. Thus, with the verse that was "cut and pasted" into the collage, we recognize that we suffer the loss of the old, that which was death to us, but we rejoice because the end is in sight: abundant life now and life with God eternally.

The communion chalice is included: it is beautiful and entwined with vines, because He is the Vine from whom we draw our life. His blood, represented by the wine, was shed so that we could be made holy. There are three spheres in the artwork, showing that redemption is for us in three parts of our being: the spirit, the soul and the body. It also means we must overcome in three arenas: the world, the flesh and the devil. One is being dipped into the cup, a picture of the "host" of the Eucharist: because His body was broken, then resurrected, our body can be healed, and resurrected into an incorruptible life. Jesus has gone before, and is leading the way.

I hope the explanation of this artwork helps you understand more of the covenant we have in Christ, and what it means to have His mind.

Jhn 3:7
Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

Jhn 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

1Pe 1:23
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

1Cr 2:16
For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

"that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another." Ephesians 4:22-25

Luk 9:23
Then He said to [them] all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Mat 7:21
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Mat 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You [will]."

Eph 5:23
For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Col 1:18
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Eph 3:19
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph 4:13
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Col 2:9
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

Rev 20:4
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then [I saw] the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received [his] mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Col 1:9

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding

Rom 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Act 20:32
"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

Col 1:12
giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

A bonus message:

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror." I Peter 3: 1-6

*"picturization" is a word I coined, meaning "making a picture as a representation", (similar form as "verbalization")

Blessings

This is a quick one~ I just wanted to bring out the different ways I see this, maybe to give it more depth for you.

This is both a heavenly place and an earthly place. It can be the throne room of Heaven, with the Lamb of God on the throne receiving worship. There is music in the air! The woman in white could be seen as an angel, but I mostly see her as the Bride worshipping in adoration before the throne. She is dressed in white, "the righteous acts of the saints", with which she makes herself ready for the Beloved.

I particularly see this as a simultaneously earthly place, because of the appearance of the room, which looks like it's nighttime. The lamb represents to me not only the Lamb of God, but God's little lambs. All children have angels for protection, and these ministers are always in the presence of God. All children, both natural children and spiritual children, need nurture and protection. Mothers and caretakers, pastors, counselors, teachers, etc., are all messengers and are responsible to impart the love and character of the Father to their charges. We should all keep in mind that these little ones belong to Him. He is the Good Shepherd, and as stewards, we must be found faithful. I also think of "whatever you do to the least of these, you've done it unto Me." When we serve the little ones as unto Him, the Lamb receives it as worship, and receives it with joy. The setting also reminds me of the Passover lamb that was taken into the home and loved as a pet before it was offered as a sacrifice, which holds much deep prophetic meaning about the Christ.

Scripturally, I don't see the heavenly angels as women, it doesn't refer to them as such, but sometimes says "a young man in a white robe". Other references to angels, such as seraphim, depict them as much more brilliant, powerful and multidimensional in ways that I have not been able to express artistically at this time. Whether you see this figure as an individual, the collective Bride, an angel, or even a fairy perhaps, the meaning is the same: a spiritual messenger from the throne room of God with blessings from Him. If we are born again, we are also spiritual beings with messages of love and truth from Him, and therefore the term "angels" can be properly applied to us as well, as that is what the word means: "messenger".

So be encouraged~ if you faithfully minister to His lambs, the Lamb of God receives your service. And in order to minister faithfully to His lambs, it is essential to minister to the Lamb Himself and to absorb His Presence through worship, intercession and careful listening to His voice.

Rev 7:17
for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Mat 18:10
"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

Mat 25:40
And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did [it] to one of the least of these My brethren, you did [it] to Me.'

Luk 9:48
and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."

Mat 22:30
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. [it says "are like", not are]

"My Times Are In Your Hand"

Most of the time, I make art because I have something on my mind, or in my spirit (both really), and I have to express it. The things that are the deepest tend to percolate for a long time, and then bubble up at the appropriate moment. This artwork expresses a combination of celebration and grief. The topic: life in the womb and the loss of that life.

As images go, this is a simple composite with easy symbolism, at least to me. The child's silhouette is the key to interpreting this image. (It's my oldest grandson~ who is now 5~ when he was first toddling around, looking out at the rain through the door in the den). I probably had more emotion as I created this artwork than I have had with many others put together. Perhaps this comes through, but it's impossible for me to discern, as I will always feel the feelings when I look at it from now on.

It usually happens (when I make art) that I'm feeling first, then groping to express artistically what I feel. The thinking is intuitive as I gravitate to photos I've taken or licensed that I keep archived for just such an "emergency". As I made this, the Scripture verse I quoted in the title above ran through my mind. I was struggling to find comfort for a loss~ someone else's loss of a baby by miscarriage~ that seemed to trigger something in me I couldn't explain. Grief welled up in me and threatened to bring on depression if I didn't deal with it. Art's good therapy, especially if we let the Spirit of God be involved, which of course I do.

I'm not going to go into a big discussion of what's on my mind, as this is an art blog, meant for interpretation (although I do get teachy and preachy here, I just can't help myself sometimes). But I am sure I will pursue the topic more in depth on "Fireberries" when I have time. For now, just let me say that my understanding of the preciousness of life has deepened over my lifetime, and it is a compelling force behind my artwork.

No matter what people think in this day and age, every life that is conceived in the womb is created by God. He breathes life into that tiny embryo, and it is a living person with a spirit. No child, born or unborn, goes unnoticed by Him or is unknown to Him. Whether they are miscarried or aborted they go to be with Him. I learned this when I miscarried my first pregnancy so many years ago. I will tell that story sometime when I blog all this out.

I actually titled this piece "Revelation #16" and included it in my series (as I felt it had universal revelation in it and worked visually with the rest). The background is an outer space image from the Hubble telescope, and this particular photo is of the Crab Nebula. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_Nebula Its appearance was perfect for my artwork with the glowing, womblike section that holds the child. I love working with these public domain space images (I've been invited to submit some of my artworks using their Hubble images for one of their official websites, I just haven't gotten up the nerve to go for it-- fear of rejection you know). http://hubble.nasa.gov/multimedia/astronomy.php

When I look at the small version of this artwork, I see angels circling the womb. The "angels" are actually dogwood blossoms, which of course you can see when you look up close. But I like the feeling of the womb being protected here, and I believe this is God's heart and action: to protect the life that is carried within.

Although death has not yet been "laid at Jesus feet", I believe it has been defeated by Him via the cross and resurrection. It is one of my great burdens that we begin to get a hold of this revelation. The dogwood traditionally represents the cross and passion of Christ. I think it is fitting here, for He "tasted death for every one". "He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," so He also knows how to comfort us in our losses and grieving. He always gives us hope and courage to help us keep on living life with joy and thankfulness.

In this artwork, the womb is portrayed as a vehicle, a "space ship", for the journey of growth and development that takes place for 9 months. It's spiritual counterpart is the concept of "the hand of God", which never lets go of this infant no matter what happens. The new life (each an eternal spiritual being), here, is being escorted to the heavenly realm: if the fetus is born a baby in the world, then God's hand is ever-present to guide him into the heavenly realm, by the Spirit, as the child grows naturally.

There's a white heart of light/love around the baby, which is God's heart of love, always present no matter what the circumstance. I like how the patterns made by the nebula and the flowering branches created an umbilical cord. Natural life is drawn from God through the birth-mother, and spiritual life is drawn from God through the spiritual mother, the Church (Body of Christ). As you can see, there is a deeper, more spiritual meaning to this artwork. We are to nurture all lives that are given into our care, for they all belong to God and derive life from Him.

Textures were overlaid in this artwork, one of rain through a curtained window during a violent tropical storm, signifying grief and a "veil" of oppression that keeps us from seeing the purposes of God when things look dark. Laid over that is another texture: a peaceful beach scene with gentle waves at sunrise, after a storm. This signifies the natural birth by water, and the spiritual birth represented by baptism. Life overcomes death, and light overcomes darkness. Underneath all of this is a texture made from a photo of light shining through a chalcedony stone, which is blue like the sky. To me this says the light of the third heaven breaks through the second and first heavens with the Truth of God, colouring everything we see, whether we know it or not.

I hope you've gained some insight and inspiration from this artwork and from my explanation. Thanks for reading! Be blessed.

References:

Psalm 31:15 (whole Psalm recommended)

Psalm 22: 9-11

Hosea 13:14

Romans 8:38-39

Hebrews 2:9

Isaiah 53: 3-4; 61:2

II Corinthians 1: 3-4

The Gift

As I mentioned on my Flickr stream when I originally posted this piece on New Year's 2008, "this was my first artwork of the year". Actually, it was the last one of 2007, and is signed such. Here we are, making headway into 2009 and I'm just getting onto blogging this! I have so many pieces to write about! I chose this one today, just because. . . I suppose it is an "artist's statement" in itself, a kind of visual creed. So I will try to interpret it into English the best I can.

There is so much in this piece, and in many of the others, that I sometimes feel daunted with the task of describing their meanings. It always seems to turn into a major Bible study. I just have to deal with laziness and a need for good time management. In 2008, I posted a blog on 360 that describes some of why I write about my artwork. It's titled "A Clear Trumpet" (here's the link): http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-oj.OJZEheq8_EXpBB7LkDC.kEFovCw--?cq=1&tag=trumpet

Sometimes I forget that it's out of obedience to the Lord that I do it, not because I think someone will read or like what I write. So again I am reminded by the Spirit to be diligent.

This composite was created mainly for my husband, who likes it very much (maybe because it includes photos I took of and him and me). It graced his laptop for a long while, until I made him one for his birthday, which he liked even better! So, I guess at first glance, love and romance would be the main theme.

If you've read anything else in this blog, you've discovered that the husband-wife relationship, as well as the preparation of the Bride of Christ, is a major theme in my artwork. With this theme, one could see a story of a lover who has given his Beloved a gift of beautiful jewelry. Perhaps it is a bridal gift, as it is pure and white (the photo is of a necklace I made myself of natural rock crystal and pearls, along with Swarovski crystals. Since then, I have learned to clean any crystal obsessively before photographing-- haha!!). The roses also remind me of a floral bouquet a bride might carry.

Sgs 4:9
You have ravished my heart, My sister, [my] spouse; You have ravished my heart With one [look] of your eyes, With one link of your necklace.

To me, the main subject of this artwork is creativity. So much was going on in my spirit while I was making this! I was meditating on the image of God in us as humans. God put His stamp or signature in us as His creations. We are made "in His likeness and in His image". The ability to create is part of that image. It is "the gift" to which the title refers.

Gen 1:27
So God created man in His [own] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Gen 1:26
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

One of God's first commands to His creation was to "be fruitful and multiply." The grapes in the picture are partly a reference to this. It can also remind us of the "fruits of the Spirit". . .love, joy, peace, etc.

Gen 1:22
And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

As natural beings, we take this first to mean "procreate". We so take for granted our ability to conceive and bear children, in our "image and likeness, after our own kind"!

Gen 5:3
And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.

It is such a privilege and awesome responsibility that we have been given. What terrible things the fallen human race has done to trample, desecrate and pervert the image of God that is to reflect and glorify God! I'm sure that was one of satan's primary designs in seducing mankind. Perhaps he was jealous of our ability to engage in sex and reproduce! Perhaps he was jealous of our special relationship to God.

Conceiving, birthing and raising offspring is a mark of our true godlikeness. In fallen humanity, it has brought about much heartache, but God's plan of redemption makes a way to turn the damage of generations around for His purposes and good pleasure. Indeed, raising children with His help is a wonderful experience, and continues to be as the young ones grow into adulthood and themselves bring new people into the world.

It takes a more ridiculous kind of faith than I could ever have to believe everything came about by some random act of the universe!!! I'm in awe of a God who has so much life in Himself that He could breathe it into a creation and have it continue and expand, as does the universe itself (the background contains a space image from the Hubble).

Another theme in the artwork is Eden: the fallen and the redeemed. I have already made reference to Adam and Eve in the creation and commissioning of mankind. There is a waterfall in the picture that is a special place my husband and I like to go. It calls to mind the four rivers in the garden of Eden, that represent living water:

Gen 2:10
Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads.

Jhn 7:38
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

The overall image gives us a picture of an idyllic sort of place that optimizes love, contentment and intimacy. A "secret garden" is another of my favourite themes, reminding me of passages in the Psalms and Song of Songs. The word "Eden" comes from a primitive root meaning "take pleasure in, delight in, to luxuriate, be soft and pliable."

Psa 37:4
Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

The tree in the picture poses a question: which tree is it? Is it the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, or is it the Tree of Life? To me this tree says we have a choice, to choose God's way, or to reject what is God's for what might seem "good" yet comes from the other tree. A good reference for this understanding is Rick Joyner's book "There Were Two Trees in the Garden." Part of the message of this artwork is "choose life":

Deu 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

The choice to conceive, carry and give birth to life is ours. Not only are we called to be fruitful in our bodies, but also in our minds and hearts. This brings us to a deeper illumination of what this work is about: the function of the God-given ability to conceive things in our imagination and to bring them to life. I think the imagination is a function of the mind and spirit working together: this is our heart. Real creativity-- whether artistic or musical or scientific or whatever-- flows out of our heart.

Psa 45:1
To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Lilies." A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue [is] the pen of a ready writer.

Pro 18:21
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

I don't have a clear revelation on how this coincides with the revelation about "speaking with other tongues" and getting interpretation. I do know the Scriptures are clear about the power of the spoken word. I truly do not know how much life is in a piece of art, or how much life can be in an artwork, or in instrumental music, or a mathematical formula, for instance.

I think there is more life in my artwork now than there used to be. I think there is death in some artworks, don't you? Could it be like seeds, that when planted, might have truth in it that could grow when given life in the heart? I don't know yet. You can seek the Lord along with me for revelation on that. I do know we are in training to have the power to create with our words. We are people made in God's image, and our destiny is to be creative like our Father. What will we create in eternity? I don't know. I look forward to finding out.

So far, I have used the images of winged horses, unicorns and fairies to depict the realm of the imagination. Children need to be trained to develop their imaginations, not have them fed full of stuff of doubtful value while blocking their ability to imagine for themselves. Creative play and a peaceful environment are essential for healthy development, and that need continues throughout life. At the heart of all creativity should be a strong foundation of truth. Without an anchor of truth, light, life and love (all attributes of God), our imaginations become darkened and we bring forth destructive things.

1Pe 1:13
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest [your] hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

The "loins of your mind" is the procreation power of our imagination. The more revelation of Christ we have and the more we are free from lies, the more powerful our imagination is, and the more life we can bring forth. This type of conception and birth belongs to men as well as women, for it is spiritual:

Jer 30:4
Now these [are] the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah.
Jer 30:5
"For thus says the LORD: 'We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace.
Jer 30:6
Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man [with] his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale?

Jer 30:7
Alas! For that day [is] great, So that none [is] like it; And it [is] the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.

Jer 30:8
'For it shall come to pass in that day,' Says the LORD of hosts, '[That] I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds; Foreigners shall no more enslave them.

The presence of the lion in my artwork is representative of Jesus, the Lion of Judah (Judah means "praise"). He seems to have a serious and authoritative look in this picture. It's almost like there's a spotlight on Him, and I believe the word He is about to speak is in the music lyrics that are in the artwork, taken from Handel's Messiah (they are from Scripture):

Mat 11:29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Christ came that we might be set free from slavery to sin, and to deliver us from captivity to the world, the flesh and the devil. As long as we are in bondage to other "gods", we are not free to be the creators we are meant to be, and our works will not produce His life. Being yoked to Him is the greatest freedom we can know. He then begins to train us to be containers of His glory, and to bring forth works worthy of the King.

P.S. In regards to the Bride, I have said before that I don't believe we are married yet, we are betrothed. I had big questions for the Lord about how we could conceive anything, considering the marriage has yet to be "consummated". He then reminded me of the Virgin birth: how she received the Word of God and gave birth to the Son of Man, who was also the Son of God. This pertains to His Church, His Body, His Bride. A mystery perhaps, but something He will give us more understanding on if we seek Him for it.

Shelter

This composite began with a photo of a window! In my mind’s eye, I began to picture a place that was a shelter from the harsh winter. It is a surreal place. To me, "surreal" is exactly what the word itself implies "above real". Surrealism is a way for me to express spiritual and psychological things artistically . So this place is more than just a physical shelter, it is a place of warmth, safety and provision for the person who trusts in God. It is a "place" found only in the Kingdom of God: it is under His dominion and therefore receives all His benefits.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33

Scriptures show a picture of the Lord Himself being the shelter for His people:

"For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy." Psalm 61:3

"I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah" Psalm 61:4

"And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain." Isaiah 4:6

"For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock." Psalms 91: 1-2

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. . .Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways."

Psalm 91: 8-11

Staying in the shelter means being obedient:

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Proverbs 3: 3-10

Whenever I put a woman, princess or bride in a picture, it represents the "Bride of Christ". This is one Biblical representation of the Church, and because it is the last hour, the Bride should be busy "making herself ready". The model I chose for this picture had the look I wanted, but I was concerned about her pose for some time, and did attempt to change it. But after a while, the Spirit got through to me that this was just right.

***

Why is she looking in a mirror? Doesn’t this seem vain? While there’s much to be said about the Bride making herself ready, let’s just stick to what is expressed in the picture, and I’ll eventually get to the significance of the mirror.

In a prophetic picture of the Bride in Revelation, she is seen completely ready for her Lord:

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." Revelation 19:7-8

In this artwork, the Bride is still getting used to trusting the Lord to keep her safe from the current conditions in the world, here represented as the dead of winter. She is still focusing somewhat on herself and her identity, not too concerned with anything outside her home. In her place of trust, she is safe, provided for and even full of joy.

My rooms also represent the inner being, here, that of the Bride in a state of "dwelling in the Lord". There are varying symbols of her bounty in the room: she’s warm, and she even has a different attitude than the world outside, full of life and the fragrance of the Lord (represented by the vines and the roses). Out there amid the snowy trees (knowledge) is an owl, which blends in with them (subtle): it is the wisdom of the world that has been shut out. She has light, however, and the three candles represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is a jug for wine (Spirit) and a jug for water (Word).

*

There are apples in the shelter, which represent a fruitful life, a rich harvest, health, and desire– as Solomon put it: "Sustain me with cakes of raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick." Songs 2:5. This lovesickness is a recurring theme in my pictures of the Bride, for she longs to be united with her Beloved. She still rejoices in Him though, being reminded of His will by the Spirit (the dove) who dwells with her and gives her peace.

*

She praises Him with music, represented by the violin. Because it’s a difficult instrument to play, she has to put in lots of practice! And she’s got loads of books! This is a little of my own preference here, for if I was to be "holed up", I’d want lots to read. But it stands for the Word of God, and how she’s getting instruction in His wisdom so she can rule and reign with Him.

I do occasionally use personal symbols (as occur in our dreams and we automatically know what they mean), and I sometimes use cultural symbols when they are generally known. The bluebird often signifies "happiness", and I use it to mean a true joy of heart and contentment. And to me, a hummingbird represents a passionate pursuit of God’s presence. The fuzzy cat is there to let us feel the comfort, and as a companion, for the Lord never leaves us or forsakes us, and He is the comforter.

There is also the element of waiting and preparedness, as shown in the Song of Solomon:

"A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, A spring shut up, A fountain sealed. A fountain of gardens, A well of living waters, And streams from Lebanon. [The Shulamite] Awake, O north wind And come, O south! Blow upon my garden, That its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden And eat its pleasant fruits." Songs 4: 12, 15-16

Part of the preparation is self-examination, thus the mirror. This doesn't mean we are to be sin-conscious or legalistic, just honest and open to the Holy Spirit's conviction. Most of the time we know what we are doing wrong, but often we ignore it, going into a state of denial:

"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified." II Corinthians 13:5

"But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." Galatians 6:4

But it’s not just self-examination that does the job, the Lord Himself examines us and purifies that which is faulty:

"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart." Psalm 26:2

Faithfulness to the Word and responsiveness to the Holy Spirit are absolutely essential to the preparation of the Bride:

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25

In this, she participates in the preparation of the work of her Beloved:

". . .that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Ephesians 5: 26-27

As the Bride hears His voice and obeys Him, she sees Him more and more clearly, and eventually will know Him as completely as He knows her:

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." I Corinthians 13:12

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord..." II Corinthians 3:18

"Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." I John 3:2

The Lord Jesus is drawing all His children closer to Him, preparing them with wisdom, knowledge and understanding so that we may live victoriously in this present age as shining witnesses for His glory. His desire is that we partake of all that He bought for us on the cross. He is our risen, compassionate High Priest in heaven, interceding for us at all times.

*

Jesus is our Beloved who desires a deeper relationship with each of us. He is revealing more of Himself in these times, if we would take the time to look. His purpose is to draw all believers into the unity of the faith and Spirit, so that together we can reach our highest destiny: to rule and reign with Him forever.

". . . the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," Ephesians 1:8

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

*******

All the images used to make this digital "collage" painting are from Dreamstime.com (except for the bright pink roses). The list of credits and links can be found on my Flickr photostream, along with a larger view of this artwork: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artezoe/3311492419/

"Shelter" is a photocomposite artwork by Karen Gladys Henry ©2009. All Rights Reserved.