Lover and His Beloved

by Hazel Holland

Title

Lover and His Beloved

Artist

Hazel Holland

Medium

Painting - Watercolor

Description

I painted this water color in the early morning hours of Valentine's Day 2008, but I did not realize until later the significance and timing of what I had painted. When I began to paint this picture I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that I wanted to hold up my hands and offer Him my heart just as it was.

Then as I prayed the Spirit impressed me to paint Jesus looking down on me from the cross with His blood falling upon me, and a rainbow over His head. As I began to do this I recognized I had portrayed my heart as I wanted others to see me... not how He saw me. I had painted my heart all red with no darkness inside. I had covered up my broken and imperfect heart so that it would look like an acceptable offering to Him.

But that is not what He wants. The Father's heart was broken for us by the sacrifice of His Son. He accepts willing and contrite hearts. He wants us just as we are so that He can change us into His image. The rainbow above Jesus' head symbolizes the truth that He is the Promise Keeper, and He will fulfill all His promises to us because we are Beloved... His Bride. Can you hear Him saying to you, "Rest, my Beloved, in the knowledge that I AM your Lover! I accept you and love you just as you are! And I will change you from glory to glory.

Then, like Peter, I wanted Him to wash all of me, not just my feet. So I began to paint His blood running down my hands and arms symbolizing my need to be totally covered by His sacrifice for me. But I believe the Lord would say to us that when we offer Him our broken and contrite hearts, we are totally covered by His blood! There is nothing more that we can do, because it has already been done by Him!

I know at times in my life when I have reached out to God He has felt so far away. We have all experienced that at times. But the truth is, because He has already given us His Spirit to live in us, He is nearer than the breath we breathe. I wanted to convey this truth that He is near and not some distant God, but very close to us. He is God with us...Emmanuel.

In fact, since painting this picture I've come to realize that because I have already accepted Christ's sacrifice for me, my heart has been circumcised to God. That means that I have a new heart that is good and there is no darkness in it at all.♥

(A friend told me that he thought people would wear this as a T-shirt if I ever made it into one! Would you? :-)

* Top Finisher in "Your Best Illustration" contest
* Top Finisher in "God is Love Lover and Beloved" contest 10/16/15
* Top Finisher in "ALLEGORY the visual story teller" contest 2/9/17

Uploaded

March 27th, 2013

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