ARTIST NOTES

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Week 7       3/20/2016
Title of drawing:  "God Provides" (Genesis 22)

Artist thoughts:

Trusting God with our relationships and our possessions is huge. It seems like the story of Abraham and Isaac doesn't make sense without Jesus and by itself it doesn't make sense as a reflection of God's character.  Thankfully it doesn't exist as an island but it exists in the context of God's relationship with Abraham, Abraham's belief in what God says, God's 100% commitment to Abraham for future generations and his redemptive plan for the world,  Abraham's impatience in God's provision to provide in a time of famine, to protect him and his wife in a strange land, and to miraculously provide the firstborn son through Sarah his wife. Within this context Abraham's faith was being put to the test when he was asked to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. This makes me think of Jacob told confess his name when demanding a blessing as he wrestled the angel. Remember he had lied earlier when he posed as his brother to steal a blessing. Or when Peter denied Christ three times and then, post resurrection, Jesus asked Peter if he loved him three times. Or Paul who persecuted and imprisoned Christians then found himself persecuted and imprisoned after choosing to follow Christ and proclaim the good news. I see a trend. I have struggled with the story a lot. I even took offense to the idea that God may have somehow been condoning child sacrifice but that would be dismissive of the end of the story. God doesn't condone child sacrifice he spares Isaac and provides in a different way. Ultimately not sparing himself in order to fulfill his covenant with Abraham. We can rejoice because God is faithful. We can rejoice because God is almighty and all-powerful. We can rejoice because he loves us and he provides for us through his son Jesus Christ. I have chosen to portray the moment after the usual picture we all get in our minds eye of Abraham raising the knife with tears in his eyes choosing to trust God and sleigh his son. This image focuses on the relief of God's provision and the benefit of trusting God even when circumstances seem tragic.

View the time lapse video HERE. 
​Listen to the sermon HERE.