Christ in the vessel

 

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.     Psalm 23:1-3  (NASB)

This verse came to my mind when i did this painting. The Lord is the one who guides me, the boat, into peaceful waters in any storm that is within me or beyond.

It also brought to my mind a children’s Christian song whichmy children, when they were young, taught me along with the actions that accompanied it:

With Christ in the vessel
We can smile at the storm
Smile at the storm, smile at the storm
With Christ in the vessel
We can smile at the storm
As we go sailing home…

We thank God for the gift of His Son in this pilgrimage of our lives. Happy Thanksgiving!

By Renee

Where are the fishermen again?

I feel so hopeful and joyful! Isn’t this what Easter is all about?

Last week, i finally felt inspired and plucked up enough courage to complete this painting. It had been relegated to a corner for three months after so many setbacks and crises, including mum’s passing and my sudden blurry vision. I initially thought i would have had to give up painting altogether and do something else for the Lord.

God is Good! Each time i face setbacks in my life and i lose my zeal to paint, He sends His ‘angels’ to rescue me, my family and the people on this blog.  For this, i wish to express my heartfelt thanks to those of you who have journeyed with us since the beginning of our blog, especially brushespapers, lindamartinanderson, ropheka, and our prayer warrior praynman.

After receiving God’s Word to continue painting in spite of my vision problems, and a confirmation from Joseph that ‘Small or large, both are beautiful to Jehovah’, i re-started by painting much smaller pieces than what i used to do. By taking constant eye breaks, and painting for shorter periods, i managed to complete several pieces. They’re not my best, but i believe in God’s eyes, He sees my heart and my effort, and that is enough.

Incidentally, when i finally returned to my art class last week, i found out my art mentor’s cataracts (caused by plein air painting under strong UV light) and the psoriasis on his hands (caused by oil paintings years ago) have both worsened. It pains him that he has difficulty painting, which is his one and only passion. He sounded sad when he told me that he couldn’t see the boats that i had painted clearly. Yesterday, when he called to tell me that his class had to be cancelled because of his swollen eyes, i told him i would pray for him. I was surprised when he, a strong atheist, answered “Thank you, thank you!” (He knew i am a Christian as i had shown him the ‘Agony’ and the ‘Crown’ paintings which i had done at home.)

Why are there still no fishermen in the painting? Because we, you and i and all whomever God uses, are His fishermen, sharing His Good News of Hope and Joy!       By R

Where are the fishermen?

This unfinished painting was started three days before mum was hospitalised. I did not look at it since then, what with all the crises which escalated as well as the aftermath of her passing. This morning, while at prayer, i felt this quiet prompting “paint while you can, when you can, for it is I who paint through you when you are handicapped.”

As my eyes linger on all the beautiful artwork on WP, i felt inspired again to continue to paint what i can, despite my poor vision. Not so detailed, far from good and definitely not perfect, but isn’t painting for the love of God what inspired me to pick up watercolour in the first place?

I had wanted to try bigger pieces and attempt plein air painting this year, but no, my ways are not God’s ways. It is not a coincidence that a small simple piece of my artwork was chosen for an exhibition nor is it a coincidence that I can no longer do close work for long hours without getting headaches or my eyes hurting from the glare of bright lights. Perhaps God is telling me to keep my paintings small and simple, and reminding me to remain humble and obedient to His promptings.

Looking again at my unfinished painting, it looks rather desolate and forlorn to me at the moment. That must have been the feeling of Peter and Andrew who, though experts, had caught nothing despite fishing and fishing all night. Until Jesus came into their lives and said,

“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch….  Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Luke 5:4,10 

By R

 

Going Home…

 “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.

Where is the house you will build for Me?
    Where will My resting place be?
² Has not My hand made all these things,
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
    and who tremble at My Word.”    Isaiah 66:1-2  (NIV)

From the rising of the sun to its setting, O Lord, may Your Name be praised – now and forever.       By R

Be Still …

“Be still and know that I am God.”  (Psalms 46:10 NIV)

How difficult it is to calm my restless spirit till i rest in God. Yet at the most unexpected  moment; a little flower, a tiny insect, a glorious sunset, a majestic mountain.. God manifests Himself where i am.

 

In the rustic surroundings,

the clear blue sky,

the rain forests,

the stilted houses,

the lone boat,

the rippling waters, 

in the stillness, 

alone but not alone…

God is there. 

“For you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”  St Augustine                                               By R

 

AND THE TWO SHALL BE ONE …

“AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”  Mk 10:8-9  (NASB)

Marriage is … 2 persons on a tandem bicycle, cycling forward. Our ride is smoother and faster when we cycle together.

Marriage is … a 3-legged race, 2 persons with one’s right leg and the other’s left leg tied together.  One can’t walk away nor run off without dragging or crippling the other.

Marriage is … 2 persons on a boat with Jesus; paddling and steering the boat ahead with each other. Without Jesus, we can barely weather the storms nor ride the waves of life. With Christ in the vessel, we can smile at the storm. Should one fall into the water, the other reaches out to pull him/her back safely into the boat with Jesus. 

When i get to heaven, Jesus will ask me, “where’s your other half?” and i pray that i can joyfully say, “HERE HE IS, with me.”                                                                                             By R