In my personal prayer and inspiration time a few days before painting with Linzi Carter at Victory Life Centre in Perth, a few images were highlighted to me … the branch, a white silhouette, the passionate figure of an intercessor, and a pear. When I heard Marika Court was preaching on PASSION, I was excited to be painting and “naturally” thought of the intercessor image. Explosive passion! I painted the word Passion on the canvas pre-service.
I began by painting white in the background, thinking I could silhouette the ‘passionate’ figure but found my brush dancing along a branch, next thing I noticed the formation of a pear. I stepped back from the canvas to worship. I looked again at the canvas and “saw” blood dripping over the pear. I needed to add red paint! I asked as I painted … ‘What is it Lord?’ and felt the words “all your fruit is under the blood, all your work is under the blood”.
Later as I listened to Marika speak about running our race, I pondered the meaning of pear. The cliche symbolism of fertility, fruit of the spirit, nourishment and longevity – although seemingly good and right – did not sit well. All I could think of was the Cockney rhyming slang “Apples and pears, climbing stairs”. Well climbing stairs is hard work for me! So what was the message of this painting??!!
The Spirit spoke to me about the futility of performance and striving, and how to produce fruit the pear tree simply rests in its identity and the fruit comes in its season.
Marika spoke about what is required to run … to get up every day and run the race … to continue to pound the ground day after day with the same pace … it didn’t scream PASSION!!! The painting didn’t scream PASSION!!! But both the preaching and the painting expressed the quiet inner strength of passion that doesn’t scream but speaks to the heart “keep going, keep going, keep going… I know the road is tough and the going is hard, but don’t give up… Trust the process … keep going, keep growing, and put all your efforts under the blood of Jesus, and you will run your race til the finish line, and you will produce glorious fruit easily”.
The painting is about persistence, longevity, and true strength.
