Thursday, February 2, 2012

Cowboy

Posted by PicasaAt the age of 4 and 5 I spent many cold winter afternoons dressed up like a cowboy riding fiercely on my spring powered wonder horse rounding up stray couch cushions, and saving a little sister in distress.  My black lab was my constant companion and stealthy lookout, always at the  ready but cleverly disguised in a prostrate position beside the fire.  My steed was well seasoned, he had been put out to pasture years earlier, but my father who had a keen eye had snatched him up for a fraction of his value at a neighborhood yard sale.  He was faded, squeaked, creaked and popped a bit, but to me he was the fasted thing with four legs and springs.  Cowboys had a super hero quality for me, they were self reliant, tough, and always caught the bad guy.  

Years later I watch as my boys play out their super hero fantasies.  Cowboys occasionally show up but more often than not they are accompanied by ninjas, pirates, and the ever present Jedi. 

While painting this I thought about how much my perception of a hero has changed over the years.  My hero is so much bigger, stronger, and mightier than anything I could have ever imagined as a child.  He has real power and authority.  He can walk on water, command the wind and the waves and is gentle and scary all at once.  He promises eternal life and was willing to suffer to insure I had the opportunity to be with him.  He will never let me down, walk away, or fail to show up.  He is the one constant in my life that I can count on. He is three in one, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
I have discovered over the years that I was not meant to ride alone.  I need God to be at the center of my life and it is my prayer that he will grant me the faith to allow him even more control, for it is only when I am willing to let go that I can truly belong to him.

Ephesians 1:11-12

In Christ  we too have been claimed as God’s own possession,  since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will  so that we, who were the first to set our hope  on Christ,  would be to the praise of his glory.

3 comments:

  1. Cool. Your post reminds me of a message I gave to a youth group years ago. It was called, "Why Jesus isn't a super-hero." The gist of it was that He was better for various reasons. The only one I can remember right now is that super-heros have to constantly fight the bad guys whereas Christ defeated all His enemies at the cross. Anyway, love the painting too :)

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  2. Yes, fighting the fight of letting go of striving and control in order to belong.

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  3. Good word Teague. Thx... Patrick

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