Praying with a Painting: Searching for hope

The first thoughts I had when I saw this painting were that God holds us. We enter a boat and the water keeps us afloat – the image I have is of God’s everlasting arm underneath us, supporting us through not only trials and tribulations but through the joyous times of hope and celebration. (See Deuteronomy 33:27).

And then I looked at the painting again and what captured my attention was the posture of the three figures in the boat. They seem to be searching for something – a path through the fog? Something or someone in the distance, on shore? For sustenance through spotting a fish below? In which case the Scripture text that comes to me is Jeremiah 29:13 about seeking and finding God.

Of course, a combination of the two reflects beautifully on our life with God. We seek and find him and he supports us, holding us while we do so.

Why not take some time to pray through these Scriptures, using the painting as a prompt to pray? I’d love to hear how God leads you through this exercise.

The passage from Deuteronomy 33:27 follows. It forms part of God’s blessing for the tribe of Asher, as he blesses the twelve tribes before the enter the promised land:

The eternal God is your refuge,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Here’s the passage from Jeremiah 29. And yes, this includes the often-quoted verse about God’s plans for us. Note that he makes the promise to those who are in captivity, banished there because of their wrongdoing. God rescues them from the consequences of their sin:

¹⁰ This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”