Walking Wet

The Baptism of Jesus

8x10 Oil on Panel

On February 25th, I had the opportunity to preach a homily on the very passage that inspired this painting.


Mark 1:9-15

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;with you I am well pleased.”

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

(After) the Baptism of Jesus

One of the joys of working with the Confirmation class is the opportunity to teach powerful theological concepts like the sacrament of baptism. In one of our first meetings, the confirmands and their covenant partners gather around the font. They are reminded of the promises made in baptism. The promises God makes, the promises the parents make, and the promises the congregation makes. Everyone is encouraged to touch the water and mark their foreheads. It is a beautiful moment of exploration with the sacred symbol. In class, we teach that Baptism is a visible sign of an invisible reality. It is a sign that points to the nature and work of God. It is also a seal, a guarantee that God keeps God’s promises. We remind the students that in baptism, we are claimed as God’s own children, unconditionally loved, and called to live a life in gratitude to God’s amazing grace. The middle schoolers spend a year of reflection, study, and questioning. They create their own statement of faith and share their faith journeys with members of the Session. On Confirmation Sunday, the confirmands lead us all in worship. Recently, we’ve added a processional to that service. In the processional, the confirmands bring a beautiful, blue silk banner into the sanctuary and place it under the font. It makes the font look like a cascading stream that stretches all the way to the back of the sanctuary. It brings the confirmands back, full circle, to the font—the central reminder of their identity and purpose.

Water has always been a sacred substance used by God to wash and heal the world. Genesis records that in the very beginning of creation, the spirit of God was moving over water. Later, God saved creation, and humanity though a flood and an ark. In Exodus, God liberated God’s people by parting the red sea. In Joshua, the river Jordan was parted to bring the people of God into the Promised Land. And then there is the mystery of baptism—where water is used for the cleansing of the soul. As the Confirmation curriculum puts it, “In a world that says ‘You made the mess, you clean it up,’ God washes away sin and makes all things new.” And according to our Reformed tradition, God always acts first, while we are just little babies, before we even know right from wrong. And the rest of our days are lived out in response to that act.

Which brings us to this story in Mark. If there ever was a gospel written for today’s culture, it’s the gospel of Mark. We live in such a fast-paced time of twitter, you tube & vine—all feeding our ever-shortening attention spans. We multi-task, over schedule, and cram as much into our day as we can. It’s enough to make our lives feel at times like an uncontrollable crazy train going exponentially faster and faster. Mark’s rapid narrative speaks to this culture. He wastes no time with unnecessary information. He sticks to the essence of the message in each story and then instantly teleports Jesus to another place, miles away for the next marvel of grace. So in Mark’s account of Jesus’ baptism, the event is only a couple of sentences long. “Jesus comes out of the water, he sees the sky tear apart. He see’s God’s spirit descending upon him like a dove. He hears God’s covenantal words, “You are my son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.”

It’s a scene that been portrayed time and time again in art. There are countless paintings of Jesus standing waist deep in the river, looking up to heaven and seeing the Spirit dove. Complete with light beams and halos. As an artist, I love looking at paintings of Bible stories. I love even more taking my own shot at painting bible stories. And As I thought about how to envision this story, I was not lead to paint that all too familiar scene. I felt lead to paint to what happened next—after the baptism of Jesus.

What happened next was quite unexpected. After the Jesus’ baptism, there were no celebrations, no baptismal certificates, no luncheons with family and friends. After Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit lead him into the wilderness—for 40 days of solitude and fasting. Immediately, says Mark, without so much as a hug or a pat on the back from John the Baptist, The Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness, or As Pastor Chris so eloquently puts it, into the wild. Without change of clothes or even a towel, Jesus walks off the stage.

The painting in you see here depicts that moment where Jesus steps out of the water and walks off for a wilderness journey, soaking wet, following the spirit’s call. If we really think about our life after baptism, Jesus’ experience doesn’t seem all that uncommon. Let’s face it. After baptism, there is a lifetime full of survival, suffering, journeying, temptation and uncertainty. We are very clear to communicate to our confirmands that, after we are baptized, there is still life, which can be a wilderness at times, full of confusion, disappointment, pain & loneliness. God’s grace does not spare us from hard times, but it does help us deal with it. Though we feel so alone at times, we can take comfort that we are not alone. Like Jesus after baptism, we have the Holy Spirit as our companion and guide. We have the assistance of angels, from simple smiles and random acts of kindness to a loving and care-giving community of faith. And if we listen, we can still hear the echo of God’s baptismal claim skipping across the distant water, “Your are my child, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.”

The confirmation curriculum has an interesting activity to help teach baptism. It’s called “Walking Wet.” The activity involves using watercolor to paint pictures of what it means to live out a baptized life. The watercolors themselves lead to a free-flowing expression in color. Students can express emotions and feelings. The medium allows you to mix color with water, blend colors by adding water and There’s even a technique were you lay down water first before applying color. It allows the color to spread and flow in pre-determined tracks marked by the clear water. And while the painting is going on, the concept of walking wet—living a life in response to God’s grace is explored.

And speaking of water and color, perhaps you’re wondering why the painting before you is mostly focused on the reflection in the water. About 3 quarters of the painting is water & reflection. In the rippling water you can see a distorted image of Jesus and a hint of the spirit dove leading him away. Is it not like how we see Jesus today—though fragments, short stories, and parables? We can catch reflections of Jesus in other people’s acts of charity, love, and sacrifice. Like Paul, looking through a mirror dimly, the church has never had a definitive, crystal clear understanding of Jesus. There is plenty about Jesus that is an unsolvable mystery.

But we should not be discouraged about this uncertainty. I contend that it actually strengthens our faith. It demands that we look harder—to find the reflections. It keeps us looking for more glimpses of the living Christ in the here and now, we can find reflections right here, tonight, in this very room, at this table and at this font. From this very font, there are gleaming reflections of Christ that ripple on like a cascading stream flowing all the way to the back—and out the door.

At the end of worship on confirmation Sunday, the confirmands remove the blue silk banner and take it out through the back doors—into the wild of life. You see, sometimes wilderness moments just happen. And other times, God’s spirit leads us to it—to serve as angels, soaking wet with gratitude and grace. As followers of Christ, we should let our colors follow the water right out the door and take the wilderness head-on. And it doesn’t stop there. Like Mark’s Jesus, we should allow ourselves to be transported from this place to the Galilee, to our workplaces, our schools, our marketplaces, and the streets. We are called to walk wet in our hectic, fast-paced, crazy train lives. We are called to proclaim Good News in those places and be reflections of the living Christ. That’s how God continues to wash and heal the world—with the water—dripping off of a claimed and called people walking wet.

May we dare to walk wet in this world.  Amen.

(After) The Baptism of Jesus

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 10

This weekend, many christians will reflect on the baptism of Jesus. So I thought I'd do a little reflection of Jesus and baptism. This painting is based on the story according to the Gospel of Mark:

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

The painting is an exploration of the latter part of the story. After Jesus was baptized, and the spectacle of the Holy Spirit, what happens next is quite like a parable. After the baptism, there were no celebrations, no baptismal certificates, no luncheons with family and friends. After Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit (who had just come down like a dove and rested on Jesus) lead him into the wilderness for 40 days of solitude and fasting. 

This painting depicts that moment where Jesus steps out of the water and walks off the stage, soaking wet, with only the Spirit to guide him. If we really think about our life after baptism, Jesus' experience doesn't seem all that uncommon. After we are baptized, there is still a life of suffering, journeying, temptation and uncertainty. But, like Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit as our companion and guide. Together with the Spirit, we face the wilderness head on.—walking wet with the water of our calling. 

Holy Family

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 3

One of my resolutions for this year is to make more paintings of biblical stories and faith-based themes—what I like to call "illuminations." Painting illuminations was where my painting career began and I'm feeling a strong calling to return to my roots. 

Still in the spirit of Christmas, today's painting depicts Joseph, Mary and a toddler Jesus walking though town. In my opinion, the art world doesn't have enough child Jesus portraits. There are tons of infant Jesus paintings, and plenty of adult ones. To me, a child Jesus, toddling around, is a great way to see the humanity of Christ. After seeing a great painting of a child Jesus in the local paper at Christmas, I decided to take a shot at painting one of my own.

The family is out for a walk. They could be going to the market or to the synagogue for worship. Perhaps they are just out for a little fresh air—allowing Jesus to see the world with his fresh little eyes. Where they go is up to you. The real point is that they are taking the time to go together as a family. The parents are patiently slowing down to walk with the young Jesus, barely able to stand on his own two feet. 

I titled this painting "Holy Family." What makes the family holy, really? Is it because Jesus is in their lives? Is it because they have faith in God? Perhaps. But are they uniquely different from other families? No. I would contend that most families could be considered "holy." 

Families today, traditional or otherwise, share the same qualities as Jesus' family. When a parent, or parents, lovingly teaches a child to understand right from wrong—that's holy. When parents slow down with patience to connect with their children—that's holy. When a family spends quality time together—even if it's via FaceTime from half a world away—that's holy. When we go to worship—that's holy. Even a loving couple without children can be a holy family. Wherever there is love, there is God. Any relationship with God in their lives is a holy family.

I hope you take some time to reflect with this painting and think about all that is holy in your life. 

Host of Angels

8"x10" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

LUKE 2:8-20

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Here is a link to a special video showing how I painted this piece.

Merry Christmas to you all!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNTAQIKW5Xg

Racing to Resurrection

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

SOLD

In Luke’s account of Jesus’ resurrection, the women were the first to discover the empty tomb. They ran back to tell the disciples—most of whom discounted their story. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb to see for himself. 

This painting shows Peter racing to the tomb on that early morning. Burdened with a cloak of shame and guilt from Jesus’ death, Peter is fueled by hope. Hope that his beloved Jesus is not dead. Hope that brokenness can be mended. Hope that forgiveness can be given. Hope that The Way will continue.

May we all run with that Easter hope. 

May we get up every morning and race to find our living LORD. 

Nativity: Emmanuel

5"x5" Oil on Canvas

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

Today we celebrate the incarnation of the Word of God. In a rank stable, lying in a food trough, wrapped in whatever was available to keep him warm, our Lord was born into our lives. The mystery of mysteries rests in a manger, dependent on human faith and love for survival. What a paradox. What wondrous love. 

One of the finest Christmas sermons I have ever heard came from the Rev. Jay Earheart-Brown. At the time of his message, he was a new father. He shared his feelings as a father to help us grasp the mystery of the incarnation. The most memorable moment was when he said, "Now I understand how love can become flesh." It was the love of Jay and his wife that brought their child into the world. 

And so... love, joy, hope, peace, righteousness, faithfulness, sacrifice and fulfilled promise all became flesh in Mary and Joseph's little baby boy. Jesus—Emmanuel—God with us—was delivered into our hands. And our lives have been forever changed.

Happy Birthday, Jesus.

Merry Christmas, everyone.


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The Nativity

Click on the image to see an enlargement.

Nativity: Gabriel

5"x7" Oil on Canvas

"Do not be afraid."

Those are the words from the angel, Gabriel, every time he appears to people in the Nativity stories. Being visited by one of God's messengers can be a frightening event indeed. When we realize we are in the middle of a God-moment, our shortcomings become abundantly clear. We are faced with the reality that God is God and we are not. This reality stirs us at our core and brings us to our knees in humility.

"God is coming!" That is the essence of Gabriel's message. That message swells up in us both great excitement and great fear. God is coming to interrupt our plans—to stir us from our comfort zones—to call us to a life of faith. We are afraid. Afraid of change. Afraid of what people will think. Afraid of our inadequacies. Afraid of failure. 

But Gabriel says, "Do not be afraid." Those words can embolden our faith today, much like it did for Joseph and Mary. Gabriel's words comfort us by reminding us that this is Good News. The God that calls us is Emmanuel—"God with us." The God who is coming into our lives is GRACE and LOVE.  In his song "Emmanuel," Michael Card blends two very different scriptures into a common truth:

"Emmanuel—our God is with us. And if God is with us, who can stand against us?"

This painting of Gabriel is the most abstract of the pieces in this Nativity project. Gabriel bears the star of bethlehem like a torch of enlightenment. His wings are transparent—for angels (human or not) live among us unseen unless we are looking with eyes of faith. He kneels in the presence of "God with us." In this series, Mary and Joseph are a mix of bewilderment and wonder. Gabriel knows the reality of this God-moment all too well. It is a reality that brings even angels humbly to their knees.

If you look and listen with your heart, 
you might just discover the angel's message speaking to you today:

"Ready or not, God is here—calling you to be a person of faith. Don't be afraid."

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Here is a link to a video featuring "Emmanuel" by Michael Card. The song is performed by the Choirs of school children from Cheshire and the Wirral. It is a wonderful reminder that we are not alone in our calling. Rather, we are a community living out our response to God's calling.

Nativity: Mary

5"x7" Oil on Canvas

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." 
—Luke 2:19


This week's reflection on the Nativity is focused on Mary. Like Joseph, how unfathomable must have been her thoughts, joys and concerns about mothering the Christ child. We know a bit more about Mary from the Gospels. We know of her beautiful song in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke (See my previous posting on the Magnificat). We know that she followed Jesus' ministry to the cross—and the resurrection. Of all of the passages about Mary in the scriptures, Luke 2:19 is my favorite. 

How we parents love to brag about our children. My facebook page is full of proud parent moments. How tempting it must have been for Mary to share the wonders her miraculous child. Even as the shepherds confirm the miracle of Emmanuel, Mary kept it all as treasures in her heart. 

The Iona community has a wonderful poem about the thoughts Mary could have been pondering in her heart:

What is this seed that God has planted,
unasked, uncompromised, unseen?
Unknown to everyone but angels
this gift has been.

And who am I to be the mother,
to give my womb at heaven’s behest,
to let my body be the hospice
and God the guest?

Oh, what a risk in such a nation,
in such a place, at such a time,
to come to people in transition
and yet in prime.

What if the baby I embody
should enter life deformed or strange,
unable to be known as normal,
to thrive or change?

What if the world, for spite, ignores him,
and friends keep back and parents scorn,
and every fear of every woman
in me is born?

Still, I will want to love and hold him,
his cry attend, his smile applaud.
I’ll mother him as any mortal,
and just like God.

Iona Community. Cloth for the Cradle: Worship Resources and Readings for Advent. Christmas and Epiphany. Wild Goose Resources Group. 1997.


May we treasure up the Word of God and ponder the mystery of Emmanuel in our hearts.

Nativity: Joseph

5"x7" Oil on Canvas

I can still vividly remember the night my first child was born. It was a night filled with excitement and anxiety. Most of all, I remember the feeling of helplessness. We began with a plan to deliver naturally. Many hours later, our son was born through surgery. I remember struggling  for those long hours to bring comfort to my wife. After our son was finally born,  I remember being overwhelmed with feelings of complete and utter inadequacy as a new parent. But I got through that time with the love of my wife, the support of my friends and family, and the love I had for my newborn son. As I reflect this Advent on the story of the Nativity, I think I can identify most with Joseph. But I suspect my story doesn't even scratch the surface of what Joseph must have felt.

Michael Card penned it best when he wrote a song from Joseph's perspective. "How can a man be Father to the Son of God?" was one of the most powerful lines in that song. Whatever feelings he had as a first-time parent must have been compounded ten-fold with the feelings of inadequacy of  being a parent to the Messiah. But I think Joseph's love for his new family and trust in God helped to give him confidence.

This is the first of four paintings on the Nativity. In this painting, Joseph is kneeling in the presence of the new born Messiah. He is also resting with a staff. A tool for traveling and protection, this staff serves as a symbol to remind us of his need for support. As future pieces to this Nativity story are revealed, you will soon see that his gaze is different from Mary's. Joseph is posed to appear to be looking at either Jesus or gazing outward. Joseph could be lovingly looking upon Jesus. But he also could be looking at the world around him—wondering what will be coming next in their wild adventure. He could be wondering how he is going to provide food and shelter for this new family. He could be just trying to understand where he fits into this incredible God moment.

Ultimately, like all new parents, I believe Joseph did his best with what he had—one day at a time. With the support of his wife, his family and friends, Joseph took on the challenge of parenthood. He worked hard. He made mistakes. He trusted in God. He loved Jesus. And in doing all of these things, Joseph helped to raise a baby boy to become the Son of God.

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Here is a link to video featuring "Joseph's Song" by Michael Card. The video shows other wonderful Nativity images. May the gifts of music and visual art bring your soul into a deeper relationship with God—our loving father.

Breakfast at Dawn

Personally, I have never attended an Easter sunrise service. But my wife has told me how powerful they have been for her. Perhaps it’s the anticipation of glorious Easter—when we get to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Perhaps it’s the magic of witnessing the light of a new day—joining the morning birds to sing praises to God. There must be something special for christians to celebrate this way for so many years. However, I bet they were nothing like what the disciples experienced one beautiful morning.

The Gospel of John has a wonderful post-resurrection story. The last chapter reads like an epilogue of sorts. Peter and some disciples decide to go fishing in the night. They catch nothing. At daybreak, Jesus appears on the shore. He instructs them to cast nets again. They catch an abundance of fish. Realizing their Lord has returned, they quickly sail to shore where Jesus shares a fireside meal of bread and fish with them. Jesus then specifically speaks with Peter. Jesus asks, “do you love me” three times – one time for each betrayal Peter committed on the night of Jesus’ death. And after Peter responds “yes,” Jesus instructs him to “feed my sheep.” How wonderful that morning must have been.

In this painting, I tried to imagine that beautiful morning meal. The composition is both macro and micro. Brother sun rises over the world’s horizon—illuminating the sea with dancing light. The reflections swell to the shore where we see the abandoned boat and a circle of fellowship. Looking close, you can see a communion of grace taking place.

This is more than a sunrise breakfast. It is morning worship. God’s people abandon the work of the day, gather together to break bread and be near the Lord again. In this circle, Christ makes himself known to us, teaches us, and forgives our sins. Christ feeds us and calls us to act in love for the world.

Today, the circle spans around the world. In fact, this painting was commissioned by a patron living in Singapore. The Resurrected One calls us, from all shores, to come together and dine in grace. Wherever you are, may you answer the Lord’s loving call and join in the feast. And may the song of Alleluia, be heard all over the world.

Happy Easter.

The Well

We all know what it’s like to be thirsty for something to drink.

But have you ever been thirsty for peace in your life?

Have you ever been thirsty for a deeper connection with God?

In the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John, the story of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well addresses how to quench that kind of thirst. This painting of “The Well” illustrates how the story speaks to me.

The scene is set in the heat of the day, the time of day that most people avoid the labor of fetching water from a well. The landscape is barren and dry. The composition is one of solitude. It is minimal almost to the point of being boring and easily overlooked. At first glance the whole piece is one of loneliness and drought.

We watch the discourse between Jesus and the woman form a distance – so we don't intrude on the privacy of the moment. The figures of Jesus and the woman are contrasted in white and black. The colors are classically symbolic of Christ’s righteousness and our brokenness. They also symbolize the divide between their respective cultures. The woman was Samaritan, a culture with whom Jews would not associate. Jesus dares to love her in spite of social labels and traditions. Jesus looks directly at the woman, speaking words of truth. The woman is guarded, not looking directly back. There is clearly a distance between them, but not for long.

As the conversation in the story continues, the drought in the woman's life becomes a flooded with renewal. Likewise, the painting transforms along with her. In their discourse, you can see the miracle of human interaction. You can see the wonders of belonging to a relational God. You can see that God DOES encounter us in very personal ways. Although the colors in this painting are dusty and dry, the strokes are arranged to give a subtle appearance as that of light reflecting on water. When you look at the painting in that light, the worn, dry path to the well becomes a river of Grace. The stone well looks less like an island and more like a floating raft. The two people are no longer traveling strangers. They are now traveling companions.

That is what the ”drink” offered by Christ can do for us. Through prayer and the love of others, we encounter God in very real ways. God’s Word revives us and saturates the dry cracks in our lives. When life seems full of dust and drought, we can feel refreshed, renewed, and alive. When we feel isolated and alone, we can find belonging.

May we all be so refreshed by God’s gracious gift in Jesus Christ.

Peace.

Magnificat

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”

– Luke 1:46-55

When the expecting Mary visits her older cousin, Elizabeth, she realizes the validation of God’s promise to bring the Messiah to the world. She sings a song full of praise, prophecy and hope. It is known today as “The Magnificat.” One of my favorite musical interpretations of this song is “Holy is His Name,” by John Michael Talbot. This portrait expresses the emotions I feel when I hear that song. Many Christians sing or recite these words for morning or evening prayers. We would all benefit if we remind ourselves that God keeps His promises. We should live our days and nights in humility, service, adoration and expectation.

If you would like to hear the song that I referenced, click the linked text in this post. You may want to listen with you eyes closed as the images can be a bit distracting. Enjoy.

Prodigal Grace

And now we come to the climax of Jesus’ parabolic trilogy on grace. After the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, Jesus tells us the parable of a Prodigal Son who runs off and squanders his early inheritance on his own pleasures only to come back home begging for food and shelter. Rather than being angry with the son, the father runs out to meet him and welcomes him home with a great feast. The gem in the story is more about the father than the son. He is just as wasteful, or “prodigal,” with his grace and love as the son is with money. How much more has our Heavenly Father continued to pour grace upon our lives, time and time again?

This painting depicts the father rushing to embrace his returning son. It shows a clash of two realities. The left side of the painting, the side of the son, is dusty and dead. The right side, from where the father comes, is full of light and life. The father’s love overwhelms the brokenness of the son. The pitiful, weeping, son collapses into the embrace of his father who is wrapping him up to protect, comfort, and sustain. The sweeping robe does more than illustrate movement. They are also abstract symbols of fire and water. For it is in the baptism of water and spirit that we know we belong to God. We are loved, forgiven and renewed by God’s Grace. This painting especially depicts the emotions of the father. He is painted older, to accentuate wisdom. While his left hand sweeps strongly, his right hand gently comforts. In his face, you can see the parental mix of emotions. A smile of happiness tempered with a bitter-sweet empathy for what his child has been though.

May this painting serve as a reminder to us all that we belong to a prodigally loving God who continues to allow us to make our own decisions, painfully knows how we squander our blessings, and patiently waits, looking for our return. And when we DO return, our God comes running to us full of joy and forgiveness to overwhelm our broken lives and restore us with a smothering embrace of love and grace.

The Seeker

What on earth is this person doing? What is she looking for? Why is she searching?

These are the questions I hope you will wonder when you first engage this painting. And when you discover the answer, I hope you wonder even more.

After stunning his critics with the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus hits them again with a sequel, “The Search for the Lost Coin”. This second parable tells the story of a woman who stays up all night searching for a single lost coin. When she finds the coin, she invites all of her friends and neighbors to come and celebrate with a big party. Only a compulsive disorder would drive a person stay up all night searching for the coin. And only a foolish person would waste the money to burn a lantern all night and throw a huge party worth many times more than the value of the coin. But it is with this kind of seemingly foolish grace that our God seeks after us.

Unlike the painting of the shepherd, who had found his sheep, I wanted to explore in this painting, the concept of searching. The woman in this piece is turning her home upside down in search of the lost treasure (a coin, a ring, a remote control... it doesn’t matter). The coin is never revealed in order to engage you and get you to wonder what might be worth ransacking a home in the middle of the night. Borrowing from chiaroscuro masters like Rembrant and Caravaggio, the subject is brought to light out of night’s darkness. You can faintly see the overturned chair and basket in the background. The woman’s hair is unkept. You can see that this is a long and ongoing search, and it is consuming all of the her time and energy. Is she looking under a bed, or under something strewn on the floor? Is she looking under there for the first time? Or second? Or Third? The whole point to this mystery is to meditate on the seeker and wonder about that which is lost.

Each and every one of us is God’s most treasured possession. That includes you, me, and the countless invisible, untouchable and unlovable people out there in the world. And when even one of us is lost, God will stop at nothing to get us back. There is no limit to how long God will try. There is no resource God will not employ. Eternally seeking. Even in the darkest places, in the dead of night, God still seeks to find us. We might think its crazy that God would care so much for so many and go through so much fuss over even the worst of us. But to God, we are all worth it.

Let the Children Come

“Not now, I’m Busy.” How many times have we adults and parents brushed away a child asking us for something or inviting us into their world with words like these? We can get so caught up in our busy lives that we all too often think we have too little time or patience for children. Our tasks can seem so important compared to a child’s seemingly trivial concerns. If there was any adult who had so much “important” work as to not have time for children, it would have been Jesus. But, in the midst of his journey towards Jerusalem, when the pressure to get his message out was great, Jesus made time for children. When his disciples scolded their parents for bothering the Master with someone so trivial as children, Jesus rebukes them by saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Children are like lights. They sparkle with wonder, imagination, love and faith. The second we take the time to stop what we’re doing and welcome a child into our heart, we become illuminated by their light. And for a moment, our worries go away and our burdens are lightened. It is this magic that I tried to capture in paint.

Although the scene here is not literal to the context of the story, I believe the message still speaks. Jesus often went off by himself to pray. I imagined him taking such a rest under a tree in the heat of the day. Some children, who may have been playing near by, happen across Jesus. More children of different ages approach Jesus. Some are reserved. Some frolic and prance, some tug and play with his cloak. Jesus welcomes them all. The scene is speckled with light dancing through the trees. And the Kingdom of God is displayed.

So the next time a child comes to you to show you their drawing, tell you what they’ve discovered, asks you for help, or invites you to play tag, take a moment and welcome them into your so busy and complicated life. You just might be enlightened by a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.