Wind, Womb, and Water
Date: 5/22/2021
Canvas: 18” x 24”
Cost: $700
“The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” [John 7:38-39 NASB]
On the anniversary of Pentecost–when the Holy Spirit broke into the upper room in Jerusalem as a powerful wind and hovered as tongues of fire over the disciples of Jesus–Gary Kinnaman, delivered a message at Hope Covenant Church which he titled, “The Holy Spirit: The Windy Side of God.” Gary discussed our need in America for firm and clear explanations of God, which can be found when talking about Jesus and The Father, but the Holy Spirit is utterly perplexing to us. In fact, it took us till around 300 A.D. to figure out that the Holy Spirit was God too because the Bible doesn’t give a clear description: sometimes describing The Holy Spirit as wind, fire, wine, and water, and is believed by some to even represent the feminine nature of God. Gary talked about the unpredictable, confounding and at times painful work of the Holy Spirit in our lives which is always intended for our good. [“For the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17] Gary told of life-changing stories from this life-giving experience, not orderly religious logic and rules to follow, but that when we trust Jesus, we become a fountain of this Life-Giving Water for hurting people to experience too.
“Coincidentally,” the night before I did the painting, I had a conversation with a dear friend in Alaska, Nathanael Meyer, who told me that in John 7:38, the term “belly” or “innermost being” in Greek is Koilia, which means “womb,” making me extremely focused on the Living Water bursting out of this creative sphere inside us. But, I also wanted to include the wind-nature of The Holy Spirit. Then, I got the idea…a violent wind slams a surfer into a boulder…he asks God ‘Why?!’ Then, he remembers how Jesus was faithful when he got slammed into the cross and chooses to trust God’s plan. Now a new Wind holds him up so he can maneuver himself to solid ground…the surfer has never been more broken…but never so free. It shocks us, it inspires us–like the beautiful aqua-marine spray that seems to burst from his belly! What a mystery!