An Icon of Grace

By Hazel Holland

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and 

familiar with suffering... He was pierced for our transgressions, 

and He was crushed for our iniquities... 

and by His wounds we are healed." 

Isaiah 53:3-5

Five years ago I was compelled to paint this watercolor as the Holy Spirit moved upon my heart to depict the sacrificial love that sent God's Son to the cross.  Today I'm compelled again to post this watercolor with this quote from Paul Young that so touched my heart.

"God did not invent the cross, but anticipated it. It was the worst torture device that human beings could ever create, so that is where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit went, to camp inside our losses, the place where we would use this torture device to even kill God. And God says 'Bring it on.' And then He transforms a man-made torture device into a beautiful icon of grace and a monument of compassionate kindness... He took our wrath. He met us at our deepest, darkest places, and embraced us. And now He climbs into our messes and begins to transform us from the inside out." ♥

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.