"My One Sure Rock of Faith"

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 “He lives, my one sure rock of faith”! This is who Jesus Christ is for me. I love the words of the hymn penned by Gordon B. Hinckley. The title is “My Redeemer Lives”.

The line from the second verse inspired this painting entitled “My One Sure Rock of Faith”. It depicts the Savior calming the in the storms in my life as He holds me in his tender, protective embrace.

As with every painting, there are some elements that come out differently than planned. One such element in this painting is the two figures, the Savior and me. I worked from my original sketch and photographs of my husband and me in this pose. (He is such a great sport!) However, in the end, it looks as if the Savior’s head is tilted, whereas in the reference materials is not that way. I asked Matt, “Do I look like I am pushing him over?” He responded, “You look like you are holding onto him for dear life”. He’s right! It does look that way, and that’s exactly how I feel!

Everyone is talking about our world getting crazier and more chaotic. We know that it has been prophesied that “all things shall be a commotion” before the Lord returns. (D&C 45:26, D&C 88:91) We are seeing it and living it every day. The question is, are we going to focus on the chaos and the storms, or are we going to focus on Jesus Christ and turn to Him when we feel the winds & hail? Do we turn to Him to calm the storms? Are we holding on to Jesus for dear life?

When I focus on Jesus Christ and am living His gospel, I feel calm, peaceful, and my “confidence wax[es] strong”. (D &C 121:45) I hold on to Him for dear life because there is nothing in this world that is as sure and strong as He is. He is my rock… “a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build, they cannot fall”. (Helaman 5:12)

 I painted this to be a daily reminder that one day I will have my turn to sit in one of those chairs and have a discussion with my Savior, Jesus, Christ, ahead of the time He stands with me as my Advocate before our Heavenly Father. I imagine Him opening that discussion with "Well, Karen, how do you think you did?"
 

"Concilio is a seating together in a council. Our word council comes from that. Reconciliation is to be called back to the council and sit down again. You are called to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - to return. ...These words from Latin that begin with re always imply going back to a former state, returning home again. And, of course, the Hebrew word for that is teshûvāh and then yeshîvāh. The teshûvāh is return home; the yeshîvāh is sit down when you return home."
~Hugh Nibley Teachings of the Book of Mormon Semester 1 Transcripts of lectures presented to an honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University 1988 – 1990 p.391, 393 

 This symbolizes how we learn and grow. It reminds me that I don't know everything yet and also to be patient with others because they are learning, too. 

It is painted to look like stained glass in a cathedral, a very holy place. The pure white color of the light house represents the purity of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The rocky shoreline in the foreground is to symbolize the sure foundation that He is. The Heart is for the love of Heavenly Father to all of us through the gift of his only begotten Son. The rays of light show how Their love is powerful enough to penetrate even the darkest night. Some of the lines do not line up intentionally, the way hand cut glass might be.

 From Sheri Dew's book, "God Wants A Powerful People" p. 56 "The question, then, is this: How much power do we want to have, and what are we willing to do to obtain it? Heber C. Kimball said that 'the greatest torment [the Prophet Joseph] had... was because this people would not live up to their [spiritual] privileges. ...He said sometimes that he felt pressed upon as though he were pent up in an acorn shell, and all because the people did not and would not prepare themselves to recieve the rich treasures of wisdom an knowledge that he had to impart. He could have revealed a great many things to us if we had been ready.' " (in Journal of Discourses, 10:167)
 

What would happen in our lives if we lived up to our spiritual privileges and burst open the acorn shell, so to speak? What could the Prophet teach us if we would make ourselves ready? I want those blessings! 

 President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has quoted President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) as saying, “You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and perhaps a few steps into the darkness, and you will find that the light will appear and move ahead of you.” 

The hymn, "I Stand All Amazed" is one of my favorites.  I hear the music in my head when I look at this  painting. I am reminded of the love for my Savior expressed in the words of this hymn and His love for me.

 1.

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

2.

I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine

To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,

That he should extend his great love unto such as I,

Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

3.

I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?

No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,

Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

Gabriel, Charles H. "I Stand All Amazed." Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985, p. 193. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/music/songs/i-stand-all-amazed?crumbs=hymns&lang=eng

 This was inspired not only by this passage of scripture but also by the beautiful song based on this passage. 

 Matthew 6:26-31
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
 

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
 

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
 

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
 

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
 

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

Enjoy this video of The Tabernacle Choir singing this hymn.

 This is the idea of hell that we would meet our glorified, perfected, happy self. Then we get to live for eternity knowing that we could have been that person IF ONLY we had worked a little bit harder and put forth a little more effort I could have been that glorified version of myself.