I Am Us
"I Am Us", Mixed Media on Pine, 2015 ~SOLD~
This is the latest painting from the Joyflow series, which is comprised of abstract artworks that explore various aspects of my faith in Christ, characteristics of God, and key Bible teachings. The series is ultimately a visual expression of the joy I have in the saving grace of Yeshua. A key verse associated with the series is Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
The artworks from this series utilize a collection of symbolic lines to represent the triune nature of God. The yellow line, with the brightness and intensity of its color, is always used to suggest God the Father. In keeping with the unchanging nature of God, this line is always drawn first, and once it is in place, it is never changed or altered. The green line, which always represents Yeshua, is depicted with subtle folds and creases meant to loosely suggest a human form. And finally, the Holy Spirit is symbolized in the energetic movements of the fluid, thin purple line.
When all three of the lines are presented together, it becomes an image of the trinity: Father, Son, Spirit. I’ve grown very fond over the years of representing God in this way because it is both clear and confusing; and that seems appropriate. My limited human mind can accept that there is a three-in-one aspect to the living God, but I can’t completely understand it. Throughout his New Testament writings, the apostle Paul references “the mystery of God” as something we cannot quite fully grasp.
The Bible does give us numerous verses that shed light on the nature of the trinity, and perhaps the most tantalizing is Genesis 1:26 where God speaks in a plural tense as he says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” This fascinating statement becomes evidence that the three persons of God already simultaneously existed during Creation week. This becomes even more compelling when paired with the first three verses of the Book of John. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” This text is clearly speaking about Yeshua, and it identifies him as both being with God, and also being God. It also clearly teaches that Yeshua is the one spoke the world into existence. It is not until after these acknowledgements that later in verse 14 John teaches that, “the Word was made flesh”. So Yeshua existed with God, he was God, he created all things, and then later became flesh. Clear? Yes. A little confusing? Certainly. (Incidentally, these two verses are both collaged into the painting. Genesis 1:26 can faintly be seen along the left edge between the two sections of the green line. And John 1:1-3 is more obvious in the wider band of the green line as it enters the painting near the bottom right.)
This is why we live by faith and trust that God, whose thoughts are so much higher than our own, has things well and truly under control. And so this painting is meant almost more as a statement of faith. It is an acknowledgement that I accept and believe what the Bible teaches about the nature of God, and that is good enough for me, even if I can’t fully comprehend it. Actually, the fact that God is so far outside of my ability to truly understand, is one of the things I love most about him, and it is why I try to give him my complete and total trust; because he is more powerful than I could possibly know.
The title of this painting combines the "us" reference from Genesis 1:26 with the famous “I AM” moniker through which God identifies himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14.
The artworks from this series utilize a collection of symbolic lines to represent the triune nature of God. The yellow line, with the brightness and intensity of its color, is always used to suggest God the Father. In keeping with the unchanging nature of God, this line is always drawn first, and once it is in place, it is never changed or altered. The green line, which always represents Yeshua, is depicted with subtle folds and creases meant to loosely suggest a human form. And finally, the Holy Spirit is symbolized in the energetic movements of the fluid, thin purple line.
When all three of the lines are presented together, it becomes an image of the trinity: Father, Son, Spirit. I’ve grown very fond over the years of representing God in this way because it is both clear and confusing; and that seems appropriate. My limited human mind can accept that there is a three-in-one aspect to the living God, but I can’t completely understand it. Throughout his New Testament writings, the apostle Paul references “the mystery of God” as something we cannot quite fully grasp.
The Bible does give us numerous verses that shed light on the nature of the trinity, and perhaps the most tantalizing is Genesis 1:26 where God speaks in a plural tense as he says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” This fascinating statement becomes evidence that the three persons of God already simultaneously existed during Creation week. This becomes even more compelling when paired with the first three verses of the Book of John. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” This text is clearly speaking about Yeshua, and it identifies him as both being with God, and also being God. It also clearly teaches that Yeshua is the one spoke the world into existence. It is not until after these acknowledgements that later in verse 14 John teaches that, “the Word was made flesh”. So Yeshua existed with God, he was God, he created all things, and then later became flesh. Clear? Yes. A little confusing? Certainly. (Incidentally, these two verses are both collaged into the painting. Genesis 1:26 can faintly be seen along the left edge between the two sections of the green line. And John 1:1-3 is more obvious in the wider band of the green line as it enters the painting near the bottom right.)
This is why we live by faith and trust that God, whose thoughts are so much higher than our own, has things well and truly under control. And so this painting is meant almost more as a statement of faith. It is an acknowledgement that I accept and believe what the Bible teaches about the nature of God, and that is good enough for me, even if I can’t fully comprehend it. Actually, the fact that God is so far outside of my ability to truly understand, is one of the things I love most about him, and it is why I try to give him my complete and total trust; because he is more powerful than I could possibly know.
The title of this painting combines the "us" reference from Genesis 1:26 with the famous “I AM” moniker through which God identifies himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14.
