In our last living room we cultivated what we call an Art Wall. I can’t remember how we came to the decision to cultivate an art wall, maybe it was a Pinterest thing? We decided on a theme for our decorating scheme and then slowly added pieces that fit. One year for Christmas we put Starry Night Over the Rhone by Vincent Van Gogh on our Christmas list. After we received this first print we decided we should design our wall. We picked out the frames at Michaels, designed an arrangement and went to work filling the frames. Now in our new apartment it’s going to be an art filled Portico.
Ships in a Gale is one of the most thought provoking pieces I selected. It has such powerful imagery for me and reminds me that God is in charge of the wind and the seas. No matter my circumstances, no matter my storms, He is Creator and over all. With just the sound of His voice He can make this tumultuous scene be still.
I set this painting as my background on my laptop and shared it with a coworker, she was shocked and appalled by it until I told her what it represented to me. You see, when she looked at it she saw imminent danger and destruction for the ships and an angry sky and sea. I look at it and am reminded that even in turbulent seas, my God is powerful enough to keep me safe, protected and at peace.
Psalm 107:28-31
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Mark 4:35-39
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Matthew 7:24-27
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”