The Path Can Change
December 6, 2020 (Post #55)
(From Journal #7: October 3, 2006)
Two days ago a friend called and asked me if I had a piece of art I would be willing to donate to be auctioned at an annual cancer fundraiser on October 20th. I immediately knew this was You challenging me to step up and take action. I told her I didn’t have anything on hand that I felt great about donating but I would do a painting especially for the event.
When I hung up the phone, I almost panicked. ”What was I thinking???” There’s such little time to get it done! And then my prayer literally was “Lord, if You don’t come through for me, I’m toast.” I need You to show me what to paint and empower me to do it. Then yesterday morning while taking a walk, You taught me something…
As I was walking home, You had me notice the sidewalk and think of it as walking on the path You have set before me. But I could only see the path so far. I could not see the final destination. I so often want to see the “blueprints” of Your plans, when You have me on a “need-to-know” basis. As I walked farther, I came to the left turn to get home. I couldn’t see that turn earlier. I thought I’d seen your straight path clearly from where I was, but You told me to turn left.
We get off the path, don’t we Lord? We get ahead of You and decide what we’re to do based on what we see today and then we don’t always hear Your small still voice saying, “Turn here.” And I realized that even if I’d not turned left, I could still get back home, but it would take longer and I’d have to walk a different path that wasn’t as easy.
After our walk, I just started looking through magazines and saw a photo reference of a couple bottles of wine alongside a glass of red wine that really spoke to me. I’ve never painted anything like this before; glass is hard to paint. I continued looking at other photos, but kept going back to this one. I felt this was the path I’m to take for this auction. I wanted to do a large painting, so sketching it out was mathematically challenging to calculate the proportions relative to the size of the canvas. But I stayed calm and I think I got it, thanks to You. Today, I want to start laying down some paint and do what I know to do at this point on the path and listen for You to tell me when to change direction.
Isaiah 30:21: Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 16:9: A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.
I have a copy of this great painting; now it means even more!
Thank you!
Beautiful, Margie, my sweet friend! You are so talented and special. Love you!
Thank you, my friend!
As always, I love your posts. You are so talented in so many ways.
Love you.