Painting Jesus: A Crown of Thorns made Gold

If you've been around, you know we're not big on making explicitly *Christian art* featuring doves and lambs and crosses. It's not a bad thing to do, but it's just not our artistic style/preference. So when Danielle (not at all a painter) felt a prompting to paint Jesus (for the... first time?) she was surprised, to say the least.

Danielle had this image of Christ come to her in prayer at our leadership retreat this past weekend. Every time she's closed her eyes this week, the image has remained; Jesus in his suffering, looking at Danielle. The connection was personal and fierce and bright. She felt like He was saying to her: "My crown of thorns was turned to gold; my suffering was turned to my glory. Your suffering is part of your strength, as well."

The slow process of painting is meditative. You concentrate on light, shadows, color, flesh, eyes, mouth, brow. It takes time and patience. The darkness has to come before the light, and Danielle talked to Jesus about his suffering and her own. And though she's not a painter and this image is far from professional, it does give her a tangible expression of the picture that's stayed vividly before her all week.

This Good Friday, we pray you slow down, invite Jesus to look you in the eyes, and relate through your suffering. It is beautiful to be able to believe in a God who did not distance himself from how broken the world is, but who entered into suffering with us. A king who wore a crown of thorns, a savior who was spat upon and rejected, a best friend who has been there in the very worst times.

Avoiding pain will make you fearful; Christ crucified will set you free.