Fear Not
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| Fear Not |
My heart had been heavy in the last few weeks with an unnamed fear. I prayed about it frequently, but struggled to shake the feeling of dread. I am well aware of the fact that the Bible is full of "fear not" statements, and I intend to live by faith - thus the almost constant prayer.
SOLD
36" x 36"
Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas
Click here to view on my website.
This work on my easel waited, daily challenging me, as I struggled with the concept and how to pull my thoughts together. I wanted to express eternity - creation - turmoil - depth - variation (as in James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials... As an aside, I have read somewhere that it can be translated many colored trials... ). The surface of the painting, which you cannot see in this photo of the entire work, has texture, sparkle, marks scratched in. How was I to express trust and stillness along with all of these things?
Yesterday I walked in the woods after getting home from running errands. I was too tired to go, but it was so beautiful, and I knew that the autumn color doesn't last very long, so I went anyway. While I walked, I could smell the delightful fragrance of burning leaves from a neighborhood not too far from us. As I entered the woods on my favorite trail, I saw a brilliant red leaf, suspended where it had been caught in the brush as it fell. The light was hitting it, and it caught my eye and stopped me in my tracks. After covering my favorite trails, I headed toward the house, and had to stop again as I saw gold leaves falling from some very tall trees, and again, it was breathtaking. Nearing home, I felt the breeze come up and it was just delicious to feel it. I saw all of these beautiful experiences as reminders from my Heavenly Father of His care for me. I know He never wastes beauty (even if no human eyes see it). The reminder helped my heart feel lighter.
Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)
Psalm 46:10
Romans 8:18, 38-39 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas
Click here to view on my website.
This work on my easel waited, daily challenging me, as I struggled with the concept and how to pull my thoughts together. I wanted to express eternity - creation - turmoil - depth - variation (as in James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials... As an aside, I have read somewhere that it can be translated many colored trials... ). The surface of the painting, which you cannot see in this photo of the entire work, has texture, sparkle, marks scratched in. How was I to express trust and stillness along with all of these things?
My Beloved Husband and I discussed what I was wanting to express, and I showed him an example of another painting with a similar content. I printed out some photos of this unfinished work, and began to try some things with colored pencil marks on the photos. I loved the idea of a grid - I often like a grid structure in a painting - and I tried it on my photos. Beautiful! And I knew that the grid would be iridescent gold, because it showed a framework held in place by my Loving Heavenly Father, Who I usually signify by using iridescence. Also, I like that there are 7 golden lines in each direction, since 7 is a significant number when used in the Bible.
Yesterday I walked in the woods after getting home from running errands. I was too tired to go, but it was so beautiful, and I knew that the autumn color doesn't last very long, so I went anyway. While I walked, I could smell the delightful fragrance of burning leaves from a neighborhood not too far from us. As I entered the woods on my favorite trail, I saw a brilliant red leaf, suspended where it had been caught in the brush as it fell. The light was hitting it, and it caught my eye and stopped me in my tracks. After covering my favorite trails, I headed toward the house, and had to stop again as I saw gold leaves falling from some very tall trees, and again, it was breathtaking. Nearing home, I felt the breeze come up and it was just delicious to feel it. I saw all of these beautiful experiences as reminders from my Heavenly Father of His care for me. I know He never wastes beauty (even if no human eyes see it). The reminder helped my heart feel lighter.
Wham! About 2:00 a.m. this morning, I got a call that a loved one was in the emergency room! (As of 6:30 this morning, that person is doing well.) Uffda! - pardon my Minnesotan. Of course, I was awake for several hours, and again was in almost constant prayer. I finally fell asleep, and when I woke, this hymn was on my mind. It is a perfect compliment to my painting.
How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
"Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
"When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.
"The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake."
Lyrics attributed to Robert Keen
In the past days, I have found MANY passages in the Bible that speak to this painting and to my emotions as I painted. I will add a few of them here.
Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)
‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Psalm 46:10
“Cease striving [be still] and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Habakkuk 2:20
“But the Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.”
Romans 8:18, 38-39 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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