I left that night with my painting unfinished.  The next morning I worked on it a little more and as the image took on more form, I asked the Lord what kind of flower it was.  He reminded me of the multi-petaled Impatience and showed me that the flower in this painting had only three petals.  Once the “Im” (i.e. I'm this or I'm that) petal is removed only Patience remains because of the Trinity’s complete work in our life situations, relationships, and experiences as we trust Him, love Him, seek Him and His ways and purposes.  So, I have learned  to count it all joy and say, “Grace, grace to it!” just like in Zechariah chapter 4 verse 7.

"You Wonder!"   

Sometimes you wonder about it!
The whys, the how comes.
Why am I where I am at?
You look at life, you look at the events around you and you wonder, how did I get here?
I don’t remember signing up for this event in my life.
This is not where I expected to be!
You look back at what was, to what is and ask why?
Why am I alone, in a room, no car, no family, everyone gone, no one to turn to, with a sense of aloneness that can be like a cold breeze to the heart!
Then you realize that you are in a place of pliability, a place where the hands of the Father can begin to work on you. To mold and shape you and take the events of life to transform you into an instrument of grace.
Of being in a place of learning to see Him in the midst of all that is going on. That like Joseph, in all that he went through, he was in the very place that the Father needed him, that he would be used to touch the lives of many, his family, those around him.
He saw with the eyes of the Spirit! His heart, his spirit, his hope, was focused on the Father!
You begin to realize you're not alone, you are where you need to be, a place of being pliable, molded and shaped into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being transformed and brought into relationship with Abba Father!
You begin to see with the eyes of the Father, you see the friends that the Father has given you, the brothers you walk with, He opens your eyes to see, to no longer see dimly but with clarity, with hope.
To have a heart of anticipation, of expectation, of hope, that today, this day, even this day, a new day has begun, life has sprung forth and the Father and you walk together, into this day and a sense of wonder floods your whole being, to see what He has in store for you!

By Paul Dawn

​​By, Ginger E. Mosher

www.GEMgallery.org

​© All rights reserved by Ginger E. Mosher

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:  ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.  Who are you O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!  And he shall bring the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it” (NKJV)!

That night the Spirit of the Lord got me there, even though a little late and still lacking in patience.  I simply did not want to miss what He might do.  One of the ways He encouraged me to go was with a reminder of a dream He had given me earlier in the week of the initial concept and colors of the painting I was to paint that night.  I thought to myself OK, that’s easy.  I can do that.  It’s possible.  So, with a little faith, I packed only the three colors of paint needed for the painting and went on struggling with my fear of exposure and vulnerability.  I so wanted to be able to finish what I started there but I knew that was probably not God’s plan for the night.  I needed to let patience be worked in me so that in the future I would be complete and not lacking.

The painting is about having a revelation (represented by the color blue) that all of our life ( represented by the color green) situations, relationships and experiences or crossroads can and will be worked (represented by the woven background pattern) for good as we allow God to minister His love, healing and purposes to us along the way.  Not everything that happens in our lives is good but His word says, “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28 NKJV).  As we allow Him to do this He produces a sweet fragrance like a flower in us instead of leaving us bitter and sour.

While I was painting, one of my friends got up and shared His testimony of life’s trials. He said it had been rough, but he would not trade any of it because of the amazing work God had accomplished in his life.  He also shared the following poem:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience (perseverance, NIV).  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”  (James 1:2-4 NKJV).

With that word, I got the message. For something to be accomplished that night or any other night did not rest on my abilities or performance -- but on His Spirit. If He tells me to go and start something He will enable me to finish it in His timing so I should not despise the beginning of it.  Beginning in obedience is a great thing that God and men rejoice to see. In regards to this, the word of the Lord goes on to say, 

It was another Wednesday night opportunity/option to paint at the local coffee shop on open mike night.  I was not enthused about going there to paint yet another unfinished painting for people to see.  In spite of the fact that the Lord had been instructing and encouraging me to go and paint and not worry about what I was accomplishing (or not) in the allotted time frame--I was not ok with it.  I obviously lacked the faith that anything could be accomplished in simply being there and painting.  I knew the Lord had been speaking to me in the scriptures of Zechariah 4:6-10 so, I decided to listened. 

Patience

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it.  Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.  For who has despised the day of small things?  For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel (Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel, NIV).  These are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”