God is a rewarder of those who remain faithful to him. There is even a scripture that tells us to dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. But, there are times when we wonder if we are still on the right track. I’ve been doing these paintings for some time now. I believe God inspired me to do them. He gave me this ability. Shoot, sometimes I’ve even asked Him to increase it. It is a part of me, reflects who I am in Him, and as I have said before, I’ve never been comfortable with the classic Bible illustrations. Lately, because of a very busy schedule, I have not been able to pay much attention to this blog. Actually, I’ve thought of changing it to a different format due to the lack of time to donate to painting. Not!

     God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Keep seeking, keep asking , keep knocking. When you’ve done all you can do….stand. Then God will encourage  you, and answer you, and open doors for you. So it has been for me, not only with this blog but, with other areas of my life as well. However, we will confine the subject to this blog for now.

    One of the things that I’ve always wanted to master in the painting category is to be able to paint mountains well. I love mountains. They represent for me the majesty of God. The painting (unfinished by the way) you see here is my latest attempt to give voice to the feeling in my heart about the mountains of God. Mountains also many times can represent the walk we have with God. For those of you who have hiked the mountains, as I have , you know how exhausting it can be. God is faithful to give refreshing times to his weary hikers. So it has been for me.

     After my last post, I received a comment on my board from a man named Steven. He said he had been searching for months to find paintings like mine. That small thank you note inspired this post. It was the spark that kept me from giving up. It was an answer to prayer on the subject matter that will occupy the foreground of this mountainscape. Ive had alot of thoughts about what to put into the composition. Native Americans, the Great Wall of China and an old peasant fighting some of the Emperor’s soldiers, even a scene with wolves and a lone trapper, were among the potential entries onto the list of subjects. Now, at last I believe I’ve got my subject. Caleb and the Anakim. It almost makes me cry to think about it. I’ve tried to paint many other things but, nothing has held my attention. Remember when I tried to do Samson? What an exercise in futility.

     This morning I was thinking about the story of Caleb and Joshua in Joshua 14. This is where Caleb asked Joshua for his inheritance in the land of promise. Caleb recounts his faithfulness to God and to Moses and even mentions his good report about the land of Kadesh-barnea (Joshua 14:7). Then he asks for an insane piece of real estate. The Land of the Giants (Joshua 14:12). The mountain country where the great cities of the Anakim are built. The Anakim are the decendants of the union of angelic beings and men (Genisis 6: 4). actually they were called the  Nephilim, the Anakim were the sons of Anak who was one of the Nephalim. The Nephalim were Demi-gods, like Hercules and Persius. Merlin was also a Demi-god. So was Goliath of Gath; the subject of the first painting I posted on this blog. Eighty year-old Caleb was looking to get into a scrape with these guys. He had told everyone forty years before that the Nephalim would be food for the warriors of God. Now he was wanting to make good on that claim. Caleb believed God. Everyone else came back saying that the Nephalim would view (and treat) these same warriors like grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33). Worse than that these same gentlemen, who thought the Nephalim viewed them like grasshoppers, viewed themselves the same way. So, they got to spend another forty years in the wilderness, until everyone of them had dropped dead. Except Caleb (Numbers 14: 23,24).

     Caleb had heard something from God that he always says to those He calls to fight for Him:

            “…everywhere I send you you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them. For I am with you to deliver you.” Jeremiah 1: 7,8

      If that is not enough, how about this?

            “… I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up, to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant. (Jeremiah 1:10)

     So, the question remains: Do you want to spent the rest of your days regreting your decisions to not believe God and obey Him, or get in the fight and take what God has promised to us? Thank you Steven, wherever you are. Safe journeys and God bless.