Two Gods, Two Solutions
Canvas: 36”x 48”
Time: Approx. 4 hours
Cost: $1,500
Artist Statement
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2nd Corinthians 4:6,7 NIV)
In week 1, Pastor Doug talked about Two Gods (The Cure Series) and how it’s possible to say, ‘God loves you, God is always with you,’ but secretly feel shame, fear and loneliness. I too sometimes feel all those things. I've learned this reveals my hidden belief that God is harsh, demanding, aloof, and unwilling or unable to change me. As I was mixing my paint, I recalled the shame of failing to achieve my dreams of becoming a college basketball player. The boy on the right in the painting is exhausted and humiliated while the players in the background shame him. They reflect my ‘Mean God’ and show up in almost every situation in life, confirming that hidden belief. The court itself represents the mess of my life: my sin, my anger, my regrets, etc. Notice how the basketball pole looks like a shaft of light illuminating the boy on the left [At the halfway point of the painting my friend Tom pointed this out, so I went with it!] who already found out about of a different God--a God who is in him, ONE with him, and changing him from the inside out.
In week 2, Doug talked about Two Solutions (The Cure Series). The ‘control’ cycle: I try to control my sin with performance, but it doesn't heal my pain, or take away my anxiety, so I still have a longing for a cure. Then, I start longing for pleasure more and more as the cure. I keep that longing a secret and eventually it overpowers me, finally I justify sinning by blaming somebody else or God. The ‘telling a friend’ solution: when I’m slunk down like the boy in the picture I go to a friend and open up about my pain, my longings to sin, my failures--I confess. Instead of shaming me, my friend turns to me with light beaming from his eyes (well not literally) and declares the truth about me as we pray! Like...You’ve got it all together with God because of what Christ has done for you… (Romans 5) Look out!! Light beams are about to start blasting out of the boy with a holy longing--to tell others God’s outrageous truth about THEM!!