As a child of God, we go through life blessed, for the
Lord is our refuge. It's a beautiful morning, a young
woman is walking down a wooded path, the sun is shining,
birds are singing, flowers blooming, the air is filled
with fragrance and butterflies. Each day is a gift from
God! The young woman leisurely walks along, "blissfully
unaware" of all that is going on around her. All
she sees is the beauty, however, there is more present:
"We fight not against flesh and blood, but against
forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness
and powers in the spiritual world".
-- Eph. 6:12. Some
of these are found in this painting. In one of the trees
is a monkey, which represents the lusts and temptations
of this world. A red-headed woodpecker: symbolic of the
ever-present devil. Also, an arrow carrying slanders and
evil plots, and written on the trees 1000 and 10,000.
"You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night,
nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked)
that flies by day ...
A thousand may fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not
come near you. Only a spectator shall you be, as you witness
the reward of the wicked." --Ps. 91: 5, 7-8. Look
at the young woman's feet, they are not touching the path,
but are strangely just above the stones. In the stones
we find camouflaged a lions head and serpent. As written
in scripture, "Because you have made the Lord your
refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place. There shall
no evil befall you ...
For He will give His angels charge
over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all
your ways. They shall bear you up on their hands, lest
you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon
the lion and adder; the young lion and serpent shall you
trample underfoot." --
Ps. 91: 3-13 Unbeknown to the
young woman and to us, every day we are surrounded by
evil and temptations in the natural, and in the spirit
world. But as a child of God, our God reigns! He sends
His angels to help us. His Holy Spirit goes before us,
and guides us down the right path that He has chosen for
us, shown by the symbol of the dove. The sun represents
the Son of God shining upon us, lighting our way. Looking
upward we see two leaves with eyes, the eyes of God portrayed.
He is above all, sees all, God has it all under control,
we walk in His love ...
and we are blissfully unaware! In
His Word, God promises every child of His that, "Because
he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver
him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands
My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and
honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show
him My salvation".
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