Our Covering

I've been back in Kentucky from Vancouver now for a week, and I've had some time to reflect on what happened while in Canada. I think beyond anything art-related, the main thing that happened was a deepening of my covering in the Lord. Some friends have been praying the Ephesians 3 prayer for me this summer, that I might be made strong in my inner being and be able to comprehend with all the saints the HUGENESS of God's love. It covers us. That is what happened, as I created paintings and read books and made new friends, this is what the Lord was doing. It was a trust process.

God also used images of being under His feathers and His being my dwelling place (Ps. 91). This idea of "dwelling" just keeps coming back, and I am reminded of the tent theme I blogged about before. My friend Katie and I were talking today about a friend serving in Zimbabwe. Many of the homes of the people our friend is ministering to have been burned to the ground because of a government policy which seeks to "renew" the area. She described the children whose families had worked so hard to attain a hut which was then burned down. The children now sleep on their mattresses next to the ash heaps. They lost their tangible covering. But so many of them understand what it is to be "covered"-- to be dwelling in Christ-- so much more than I ever could. They KNOW His love. Praise God that He seeks to help us to dwell in Him more deeply, that He may dwell more fully and abundantly in us.

So, reflecting on the struggles of faith and creativity that birthed this new depth and expanse of His Covering in my life, I ask you to join in prayer for those whose struggles are much greater, especially the displaced families of Zimbabwe.