“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8
Oh, how often I forget. How often my mind withers and fades. How often I fail to cling to the Words of Life our Father has so graciously gifted us.
Throughout my life, I have written notecard upon notecard of scriptures to meditate on, to have at hand when my mind grows dim. I’ve painted verses to hang on the walls of our home, lest we forget. A few years ago in the midst of fighting depression, a dear friend showed up on my doorstep with her own set of cards which have now endearingly been entitled The Character of God cards. One side had a characteristic of God written on it, the other side had a supporting verse. As I meditated on those words, I picked up my paintbrush after two years and began illustrating the verses as a form of worship, to know God and to let His Word sink deeply in my soul. Through art as worship, I delighted in the Word of God as it washed over me.
Inspired by a recent trip to Switzerland, surrounded by waterfalls, the raw edged notecards are meant to emulate a cascading waterfall as the Word washes over us, with verses on one side and brushed watercolor strokes on the other. Each card is copied from a notecard collection I’ve added to since high school but these feature a keyword to help spark memorization of that reference. While scripture memory is foundational in our walk with Jesus, it is imperative to remember that it should lead us to a deeper love for the entirety of God’s Word and act as additional support to the larger Gospel story. This idea is reflected in the individual cards (scripture references) creating a wholeness of the waterfall (God’s Word).
In the larger work of art, you will see florals, greenery and nature singing of God’s glory keeping in theme with the majority of art pieces I create. My hope is that this will evoke a sense of returning to The Garden, a sense of Wonder before the fall.
I again embraced the concept of the psalm handwritten in calligraphic styling as a continuation of the Psalms Art Series from 2022. The scripture frames a firm, deeply rooted tree incorporating the idea of His Word abiding within us. The branches extend beyond the canvas frame, signifying the overflow of God’s Word from our lives and bearing much fruit beyond what we can see or perceive. The calligraphy is written in acrylic ink and brushed faintly with burnt umber watercolor signifying the Word of God hidden in our hearts.
One side of the river hosts the deeply rooted tree encompassing the Word which grows deep into the fruitful soil. This is the Gospel taking root in our hearts. It represents a life interwoven with Truth, displaying wonder and an abundance of beauty.
The opposing side of the river mirrors a drought, a withering and desolate land. A blazing amber and golden sky may be recognized from the passage as day and night, or a sunrise and sunset. However, it may also be perceived as an expression of the chaff being burned as ashes in the wind from a fire.
Several elements of this installation include others’ stories and participation: My husband helped with brainstorming and tearing some of the notecard paper. My dad crafted the frame out of sassafras and coated it with tung oil to maintain its natural state. The embroidery thread is from my mom’s old thread keeper books. A few of the ladies from the art collective helped bring the cascading waterfall vision to life. Overall, this entire installation is a picture of community at work.
As we hold tight to God’s Word, our life is sustained, unwithering, basking in overwhelming joy. As you breathe in and take delight in His Word, may you experience our Father’s sheer delight over you too.
Beautiful images courtesy of Meghan Medlen Photography
