Have Your Troubles Caused You to Stop Painting?
L'Union du Dessin et de la Couleur by Guido Reni
We don't know what has happened to our young lady but her eyes tell a story. Something serious has happened, something painful, something sad. The paint pallet and brushes (in her left hand) that once expressed color and creativity have stopped. She puts her right hand to her heart as if to stop its throbbing.
No words are in this painting - only the depth of soul expressed through the eyes. Her young friend has a tender, empathy in his eyes as he looks at her and she at him. His left hand is around her shoulder as a friend would listen and comfort. He is poised to write. Does she have a grievance? Is there a consoling letter that must be written? Does something need explaining? We are not told. Reni has caught a very tender moment of love, and sympathy and comfort. Without even knowing the problem we are given a window into sorrow.
Have your troubles caused you to stop painting? Have the cares of today stopped your brushes -- stopped your creativity -- stopped your life? Do you wish there was someone that would listen, someone that would comfort you, someone that would keep his eye on you, maybe even someone that could take your burdens?
Well, there is! When God sent His Son Jesus to this earth He sent us someone that would be our personal shepherd -- someone that would watch out for us, protect us, and "be with us" in every season of our life. We have the tender, sympathetic eye of the Lord Jesus on us everyday of our life. We are even told to "Cast all our anxieties upon Him because He cares for us." (1 Peter 5:7)
When I was a young girl learning to swim I remember giving it a good try because my dad was watching. He wasn't about to take his eyes off me and let me drown. I knew if I got into trouble he'd be right in after me, holding my head above water.
Well, Jesus is like that for us. "He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber. The Lord will keep you from harm -- he will watch over your life. The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121: 3,7-8)
It remains for us only to relax with Him and unload our burdens into His strong and outstretched arms. He writes our concerns upon the tablet of His heart and always intercedes for us before His Father in Heaven. Could anyone be so well cared for as we are?