Word | Place 

The Biblical passages I have chosen for these paintings describe records or predictions of extraordinary instances of divine action.  In Jude’s letter, for example, there is a verse about the archangel Michael contending with the Devil over the body of Moses.  Or in the last few chapters of Revelation, John describes the glory awaiting the saints in heaven.  When I was younger, I would often adopt an agnostic “Who knows?” Attitude when reading them. 

I placed these passages alongside moments from my life that are so common I rarely even notice them:  a tree against the sky, walking through the Wal-mart parking lot, checking out at Lowes.  When I would juxtapose what I read of Biblical supernatural events with the solidity of my sensory information in the moment, a big question mark would arise that said, “Really?”  The historical narratives of the Bible, however, are presented as accurate accounts by all of its authors and by Jesus, so to believe in the Bible is to believe all of the Biblical miracles.  Likewise, the prophecies are held in the same confidence, so to believe in the Bible is also to believe that we will all ultimately find ourselves before the judgment throne of an all-powerful God, and that eternal joy and blessing will follow for those who trust in Jesus.

Though I find the Bible to be both reasonable and true to my experience, I am compelled to believe it apart from this personal verification.  I simply believe what it says.  It tests my belief, however, to remember the supernatural in the context of my everyday experience, particularly the idea of Jesus returning in glory to judge the world and gather His saints—I cannot but alter the way that I live that experience.  The only reasonable response to believing that the Bible is true is to live every moment in the presence of God himself, the thought of which is absolutely terrifying.

Although with Jesus as an effective intercessor I can draw near to God as Moses does, the sheer magnitude of the idea of the supernatural makes me understand the perspective of the Israelites:

“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off.  Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear, but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’  And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’  So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.”

Exodus 20:18-21