How many of you have heard of bible art journaling? I love it. Bible art journaling combines 3 things I enjoy most: writing or journaling if you will, art and the study of God's word.
The concept of Bible art journaling is to spend time with God, studying His word and when He speaks to you through your time of mediation, you take the grain of wisdom He is giving you and allow your creative hearts to then covert His word to art. There are no rules, no mandates, no special art supplies needed. Just use what you have.
Now I will tell you that the study bible I use to spend time reading and meditating with is not the bible I use to create my bible art simply because of the types of mediums I like to use, many of which are not translucent which would prevent me from continuing to study God's word. Simply put, if I can't see it, I can't study it. Therefore I do my bible art in a secondary bible or in my mixed media tablets.
As far as I'm concerned it's not about whether you create art in a bible, journal, scratch piece of paper or a mixed media tablet. It's about the time you spend with God, what He's speaking into your life and then how you translate that conversation using the art supplies available to you.
That being stated, I'd like to share an piece that came to me based on Exodus 28. In this chapter God talks about using the colors blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen to create the priestly robes for Aaron and his sons who were to be priests for the Lord and over Israel.
There were very specific directions given on how these garments were to be made and which colors to use. God also required that the names of the 12 tribes of Israel be engraved in onyx stones and placed on the shoulders of his garments.
Israel's 12 tribes engraved and placed on the shoulders...
Whenever I think of anything being placed on my shoulders, I think of a heavy load. In fact, when we see someone who's having a really tough time we often say to them, "You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders," don't we?
Imagine. Everything about Aaron's garments were a reminder of who he was serving, (our God), who he was (a priestly intercessor), and who he represented, (the 12 tribes of Israel).
The whole idea that Aaron was to never forget his goal. To intercede on behalf of the 12 tribes of Israel to the Lord Almighty.
Instantly I thought of us ladies. Isn't this who we are and what we do? We've been chosen by God to intercede in the lives of the children before us. Now, I can't say that I've ever met a mother who doesn't think of her children every single second of the day. We carry our children in our hearts and minds wherever we go. And let's face it, I would bet that it's safe to say that everything we do generally revolves around them to some degree. If we're cleaning our homes, making dinner, working a full time job, volunteering, whatever it is, they're right there with us.
As mothers we always carry the weight and responsibility of our children with us. Ever before us, they're in our hearts, on our minds and sometimes the responsibility even feels like a weight on our shoulders. If they're struggling in school or at work or in their marriages. If they're at home sick, fighting for their lives on the battlefield or in a cancer unit, it really doesn't matter, whatever they are doing, we are right there in the trenches with them. Praying for them, providing for them, teaching, guiding...the list is endless.
Now it's true that motherhood brings with it just as many, if not more blessings than one could count, but the sheer responsibility is ever before us, on our shoulders as it were, reminding us that we have the privilege just as Aaron did to present our children before the Lord.
Now as I continued reading chapter 28, verse 28 stood out: "Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord."
Bearing the names of the sons...over his heart...continual memorial before the Lord
These 3 sets of words stood out to me as I converted them to my life and into my simple piece of art: My sons, my heart, my God.
So here below is my bible art translation of God's word which places my sons names on my heart and uses the priestly colors of God as a reminder that they're interwoven specifically for a reason and that I, like Aaron have been given the blessing to intercede for my sons before our God.
I hope you will enjoy!
Tomorrow I'd like to share Part 2 of a The Heart of a Mother where I define the symbolic nature of the colors used in the priestly garments.
Until then, please know you are prayed for continually.
Blessings & best wishes,
No comments:
Post a Comment