You Hold Me

By Hazel Holland

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

 Psalm 139:13

I began to paint this watercolor four years ago, six months before my first grandson, Jakey, was born... in fact even before I knew he was going to be a boy!  I was compelled to paint God holding him in the palm of His hand... in the womb and also as a little boy.  But I didn't know why.

Although I had so much joy painting him, I never got the painting finished.  Then I was too embarrassed to share it with anyone because it was... well, incomplete.  I was afraid that people would ask me why I painted God holding two baby boys.

Now another grandson is on the way, and he will arrive by C-Section on Monday, April 30!  We are all so excited about having another baby boy!  Jakey can hardly wait to see and hold his new baby brother...

Now the picture I painted four years ago can come out of hiding!  God had plans for Jakey and his baby brother long before they were ever born.  That's why I know He will continue to hold them safely in the palm of His loving hand!♥

Choose Life!

By Hazel Holland

This morning I heard the Holy Spirit speak these words into my spirit...  "The Old Covenant brought Death, but the New Covenant brings Life in the Spirit!  "Will you choose Life or Death? Will you choose Moses or Me?"♥

Then I remembered this picture of a dove that I painted on a larger oil painting many years ago.  Today I knew He wanted me to use it as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and of our new life in Him!♥

My Children Come...

By Hazel Holland

My children come from the east and the west...
the north and the south.

This is a watercolor painting that I began a year ago, but never finished.  Today I was impressed by the Spirit to post it on my Art blog anyway...  In these end times God's Spirit is drawing men and women, boys and girls, to His Son, Jesus Christ.  His amazing grace revealed in the Cross is drawing the hearts of His beloved children to Himself.♥

Is Now The Proper Time?

By Hazel Holland

We can rest confidently in God knowing that He holds the future in 

His hands, and will reveal everything we need to know about it when 

it is His time.♥

Saddest Sabbath

By Hazel Holland

I wrote this poem and did the background chalk "painting" for an Easter pageant that was put on at a Seventh-day Adventist church twenty-eight years ago. The Sabbath morning service was presented from the viewpoint of the disciples who didn't know that Jesus was going to rise from the dead the next day... (Click on the picture to enlarge the poem so it is easier to read or go here.)

Now, twenty-eight years later, I can still remember the awful heaviness I felt that Sabbath morning as I got in touch with the despair and confusion of the disciples at seeing their Master crucified...

How their anguish must have turned to joy as soon as they saw that their Master had risen from the dead!  But it wouldn't be until the Holy Spirit fell upon them at Pentecost that they would begin to grasp the real significance of His death and resurrection, and what He had accomplished for them and everyone who would believe...

Now, twenty-eight years later, I've found that the Sabbath is not about worshiping God on Saturday or Sunday or any other day.  Sabbath is about resting in my risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ 24/7.  I've been released from the shadows and rituals of the old covenant, and I have entered into the freedom and joy I have found in the New.

Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, my relationship to the law is now all gone.  Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ my old self is now all gone.  Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ my sins are now all gone.  Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ every obstacle preventing me from having closeness with God is now all gone.

What appeared to be a dark shadow cast over the saddest sabbath of all time turned out to be just the beginning of a new order of things in Jesus Christ!

Living Sacrifices!

By Hazel Holland

  

When I read Ramone's "Hosanna" post I was reminded of the chalk drawing I did many years ago for a church Easter pageant.  Suddenly I saw that I could draw children waving palm branches and place them in front of the Jerusalem backdrop...

Can you identify with these children who were being told to hush up and keep their hosannas under control as they passed by the temple?  After all...their loud praises might disturb the worshipers inside...

It's the same way today when people get hit with a "spirit of laughter" inside the "temple"?  Usually it's not understood by the people worshiping, and is seen as disruptive and unacceptable behavior in a corporate church setting.

Incidentally, the "laughter" I'm talking about is His joy that bubbles up inside of us at times as a result of embracing the new covenant gospel. His joy cannot be contained because it's coming forth from the Spirit in us who wants others to know that His well of joy is available to them, too.

We need to come and drink at His well of Living Water often so that we can be refreshed and filled to overflowing.  Then we will understand why His joy and laughter are impossible to hold back.  If we don't praise Him, the stones will begin to cry out!

Remember how Jesus told us that we must become trusting and child-like if we want to enter His Kingdom?  Revelation 7:9 gives us a beautiful picture of God's children holding palm branches as they praise their King in His Kingdom for all eternity! 

Yes, I believe God desires to interrupt the way we do church.  He wants us to be free like children so that we can worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  Our bodies are the palm branches... living sacrifices that are acceptable to Him!

 

See: Hosanna