Prayers In The Cave

A cave became a place of refuge for David to cry out to the Lord.
Psalm 142:1 says that David "cried aloud, with his voice made supplication unto the Lord," etc.

David did not stuff what was in his heart; he opened his mouth in the welcoming presence of the Lord and cried out  for mercy for all that was concerning him.

I wanted this digital painting to convey how the prayers from a broken contrite heart before God are not despised. As you sense His presence, you notice that LIGHT begins to manifest in your "cave" and you hear a lovely peaceful sound. It is a beautiful stream of water that is mixing with your tears that you have shed while in the cave.

Where you may feel like you're in a place of darkness, the words that you utter from the depths of your heart "stick to the walls of caves" and the Lord HEARS and then begins a rainbow work of promise to answer.

Potter's Wheel

I have always been a freak for rainbows. I love the supernatural message that they carry-God set them in the sky as a reminder that He would never destroy the earth with water again. There's a part of me that finds that hilarious. He is the "Living Water" that brings life and yet as the Potter, He beats me to "death." 
(Watch a potter in action sometime on youtube. It's a sermon for sure).

It takes water to aid the clay; to shape it, mold it, fashion it while on the wheel. Takes a lot of continuous "hands on" to keep it from wobbling and falling into a sad mess. The potter's hands know exactly how and when to have a soft touch or a firm grip.

So the Living Water Who is the Potter is molding me and making me. His nailed scarred hands are constantly on and around me; pounding out the stuff that causes problems and then placing me on His wheel.
I find it endearing that the Living Water creates a rainbow all around me as He works; He knows how much I love them and at the same time it reminds me that He is FAITHFUL to His Word when He makes a promise.

It is humbling to look at His scarred Hands that took the nails and held Him to the cross on MY behalf.
Such beautiful marred hands that insist on making all things lovely and new.

Since He took unfathomable abuse on the cross, His "beatings" on me are absolute love pats.

I am grateful for His touch. It is a safe place and full of such kindness and grace and truth.

Thank You, Living Water Master Potter Jesus for molding me and making me...YOURS...

To Be Known

Well, I didn't see this one coming AT ALL. This was an extremely simple piece with the main colors being pink and blue. The more I stared at it, the more I felt like the Lord wanted something regarding CHILDREN to come forth (because of those particular colors that represent girls and boys).

This is what appeared on my digital canvas after a while. It's from Jeremiah 1 verse 5. "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you."

Now say it like this:
"BEFORE I formed you in the womb, I KNEW you."

Blows my mind. To be KNOWN BEFORE I was even created.

 The bright lights you see are from the Lord knitting LIFE in the womb. There will be twins in this particular womb. I believe that is a sign from the Lord that He is MULTIPLYING children in this hour when it seems like the devil is working overtime to kill them all. He will fail. Let his murderous plans be aborted and let the plans of God for good and not evil arise and invade every womb with LIFE, PROTECTION, NOURISHMENT, PEACE, JOY AND AMAZING GRACE.

I hope that you will take a moment "even if you're all grown up and stuff" and meditate on those words from the Lord over YOU; that before you were born, He KNEW you. He knew if you were to be male, female, where you would live, who you would marry, if you would be single, the whole nine yards. He knew your deepest inner longings and every agonizing pain. He knew your strengths, your weaknesses, where you would succeed and where you would fail. He knew the day you would turn your eyes upon Him and say like thousands and millions of others in this world, "Lord, You're all I have and FINALLY You're all I want."

And that's what being "born again" is all about; you've been in the Lord's "sonogram" before time began; He was GIDDY while creating you. It doesn't matter if you've been called a bastard and that's been your title for as long as you can remember. GOD doesn't create bastards. He creates sons. He creates daughters. He is the Father to the fatherless and the merciful Deliverer to the down trodden, depressed, and despised.

He likes you.
He loves you.
He created you.
He KNOWS you.

Oh, to be KNOWN!

A Little Rough Around The Edges

Ever said this about someone? "So and so is a little rough around the edges." Has a negative context to it, doesn't it...

I have been both humbled and startled when someone I griped about who "was a little rough around the edges" turned out to have some  amazing inner beauty when I "got past the edges" and went in a bit further and looked around.

Incidentally, I added what's known as "noise" in the edges of this painting. Noise is made up of thousands of little dots and if used creatively, can add some texture to a painting or photograph.
Some of those folks who are rough around the edges make a lot of noise; but again, the "noise" helps lead the eye around in the painting. What's bigger in this painting? The noise or the color?

Next time you encounter a soul who is "noisy and a little rough around the edges" try looking at the BIGGER picture as I am learning to do!

Coming Forth

A 2013 blessing to you:

May your coming forth be FORTH COMING-full of beauty, Light, answered prayer, destiny, praise, and giftings stirred with the beautiful Grace of God on High abounding.

May you COME FORTH in awesome ways in 2013!