Cold Plunge
Date: May 19th, 2024
Cost: $400
Canvas: 20” x 24”
“...I die daily.” –1st Corinthians 15:3
This morning, I woke up to the pain of tight joints, worry, and an aching loneliness, with no desire to paint either. I tried to think of something fun or productive to do, but after a few minutes the pain came right back. So, I read Psalm 16, ”...my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave…you have made known to me the path of life….”[King David’s prediction of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection] A strange mixture of safety and sadness whelmed up inside. That’s when I accepted the call to plunge into that pain…feel it…paint it. So I texted Doug and he told me he was going to talk about Jesus' demand: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” [Luke 9:23] Of course, that had to be the theme!
Then, I put on a C.S. Lewis audiobook–The Problem of Pain–where Lewis was talking about pain driving him repeatedly to depend on God. But, soon after the pain would go away Lewis’ first impulse was always to “go back to my toys.” (Like me this morning!)
The image was partly inspired by the cold plunge fellowship where we’ve started embracing both the cold and our emotional pain to deepen the impact. The figure in blue represents my terrified-protector-self, with toy sword and shield in hand, turning from God to guard what’s “mine;” Surrendering that, psychologically, equals death. But, God very God surrendered himself to me and suffers all the pain caused by the Fall. This sends a shock wave across the water in the form of a cross, “dividing soul and spirit.” I look to the sky in desperation knowing surrender is the way, but it’s still an existential threat, so I can't bring myself to do it. Finally, in my distress, Christ’s Spirit, now one with my spirit, surrenders to God; the reflection of the cross in the water now reflects his life in me! [Philippians 2:13] The protector-self falls down dead as I join in the “fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” [Philippians 3:10] and plunge into the cold depths with Jesus!