Playing in the Mud 8/29/11

"It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." --C.S. Lewis in "The Weight of Glory"

An Old Drawing 8/27/11

I've been reminded lately of the weight of sin and the darkness of our hearts.  I was thinking of a drawing I did for Ezekiel 36 a couple of years ago.  The passage says: "For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

I have this image of a heart surgery when I read passages like these.  Something that is drastic, perhaps painful, but necessary.  Also, God says "I will" repeatedly... it is him, not us, who does the replacing of the heart of stone with a heart of flesh.  Perhaps this is an ongoing process... we need God to continue to change our hearts from stone to flesh.

Rest for the Weary 8/19/11

"At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to your little children... Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'" Matthew 11:25-30

Bali 8/2/11

I recently returned from a trip to Bali and Vietnam, so I haven't had a chance to draw in awhile.  I did, however, have the chance to take a lot of photos!  This drawing is inspired by one of them.