My Daughters Artwork: A Prophetic, Timely Find
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My 30 year old daughter Jaclyn was home for a visit in April from Victoria, BC where she is currently living. The week was full of visits with friends, family and putting in a shift at the hospital to keep up her Saskatchewan license as a Registered Nurse. I also capitalized on the moment to ask her to help clean out an art shelf where she was storing art projects from her high school and university days. The big momma ask? Keep some, throw away some, recycle some.
I’ve encouraged all of our girls to use their God given creativity since they were little to express themselves. Sometimes if was life giving, other times? Well…, not.
Ultimately, I believe we were created to create. We do so in a variety of ways. As a mom, nothing though has been more sacred than the gift of co-creating and bringing precious life into this world. “Created to create” though means more than that. On one level “According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to create means to “bring into existence.” It also means the act of “causing to exist,” “producing,” or “to produce using imaginative skill.” *
Music, writing, dance, speaking, debating, playing, baking, painting and other forms of expression filled the Kozan home in those child rearing days of old from toddlerhood through to their college and career launch days.
As such, there were creative artistic treasures that we will keep for years. Oh the memories held within. So precious.
“Creativity comes from God because He is the Creator. Whether you are a painter, seamstress, designer, musician, or something else, we all have some level of creativity since we are all made in the image of God. Your gifts and abilities are unique to you, and they reflect a God just as extraordinary.”
I left Jaclyn alone to work on this project of weeding out papers, canvas and framed works of art. The next day she flew back to B.C. and this momma meandered to the basement to see the progress she had made. Amidst the pile she was going to recycle or give away, I came across this incredible painting on a 2x3 foot slab of hardwood paneling.
Art by Jaclyn Kozan (created in University Art Class around 2012)
I’ve kept this unique form of expression out on our main level since spring. Not necessarily something I’d hang in our living room, but I sensed a prophetic message crying out from this artistic expression. From the first day I had seen it, I cannot escape the symbolism in which this painting evokes thoughts, truths and emotions within.
For the last six months, I have kept this in my dining room mainly. I’d walk by it and reflect. I’d have friends of faith over for a visit and show them the painting and they too would ponder it’s meaning. Jaclyn of course has given me permission to share this publicly and knows art can be interpreted as uniquely personal and different as we all are.
They say art is both objective and subjective. Objectively, you can look at a piece of art and state the facts: The objects in it, the colours, texture or medium used to create the art. Subjectively, one can read into an art piece given the emotions it evokes or in my case, sensing the prophetic insight it conveys deep inside my reflective soul.
What do I see?
Waves: In ancient times, seas represented chaos. Raging Seas depicted ultimate chaos on the earth. In the previous year, I had just audited two seminary classes at Horizon Bible College and Seminary from two different professors on the Book of Revelation. As such, I immediately resonated with the symbolism and metaphor that the waves represented.* My sense? The raging sea was depicting chaotic, dark times in need of a move of God to calm or rebuke the evil that looms all around.
Telescope: There are three basic functions of a telescope- light gathering, resolving, and magnifying.
“Telescopes can collect much more light than the human eye. They can also detect wavelengths of light the human eye cannot. Using telescopes, astronomers can observe extremely faint light sources they could not see any other way. On a clear, dark night, you can see thousands of stars.” (American Museum of Natural History).
I believe God has given us His holy Word to be able to discern the times, and in part see into the future by faith. Do we see and interpret perfectly? No. We can though seek to discern rightly by faith through the lens of Jesus Christ who is the “Word who became flesh” (John 1:14). Through His life, death and resurrection, He promises the presence of Holy Spirit which manifests through the gifts He gives to His people and ultimately the atmosphere around us. I believe Creation speaks to us if we have ears to hear and eyes to see. But without an understanding of the Source of creation, we can end up worshipping creation rather than the Creator. I’ve been guilty of that, have you? We wouldn’t be human if that temptation wasn’t there.
We can attempt to live life leaning on our own understanding and doing what is right in our own eyes. Our limited understanding and our finite worldly systems or religions will ultimately fail us. Some try to see into the future with occult practices or will pursue pure evil counterfeits. Seeking truth, gathering information, resolving moral or ethical angst within our soul, it’s been important for me to magnify God and seek to know His character, His plans or hopes for my life and the world in which I live in. Prophetic expressions are best interpreted through the Source of creativity, God Himself.
Soldier: This man could represent humanity in general who are looking at the future and are sensing deep grief, lament, emotional pain or regret. This man could also represent men of faith in the body of Christ (his Church- not buildings, not denominations per say, but individuals who have put their hope and trust in Jesus Christ. With all the chaos we have been exposed to, many are carrying the weight of what lies ahead and are on bended knee to pray. I resonate with both imageries as I feel the weight of this photo for men and for women across the nations. (Some may see this soldier and identity with actual soldiers who are on either side of any given war and sensing their fears and concerns).
Meteor: To the left of the painting, it appears to be a meteorite falling from the heavens to make impact with the wave. In the natural realm we understand that. “Shooting stars” are a fascinating to some. Fears of meteors or astroids hitting the earth are also the making of a great sci-fi movie bringing cataclysmic end times suspense from a money making consumeristic view. So much of our society preys on the fears of others. We need to counteract fear with faith! We need to face despair head on with hope! And then there is the dire need for peace. When you look closely, my daughter painted a dove at the impact of the light from above impacting the wave.
Dove: Although doves represent many things in various faith traditions, military and pacifist groups, I sensed a clear picture of what the Bible refers to a dove. In the Word of God, a dove represents new beginnings, new possibilities, new creation, the presence of God. I immediately seen the promise of God’s Holy Spirit to bring ultimate peace to this earth through the finished work on the cross through Jesus. He did His part, we must do ours. Not just peacekeeping, but peacemaking! Jesus did say that He does not give peace as the world gives.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
“Part of the beauty of creation is the meaning God instilled in certain elements of it. The dove carries deep meaning. One showed Noah that God had not abandoned him to live on a boat forever (Genesis 6-9). David saw in the dove a reflection of his own mortal frailty, and his need for God. The Spirit expressed itself as a dove in a moment of God’s glory manifested on earth. Doves remind us of ourselves, and our relationship with our Creator in a way that has resonated for thousands of years, since the flood, and will until the return of Jesus Christ.” (Bible Study Tools blog “What Do Doves Symbolize in the Bible”)
Red Feathers: Now that, I am unsure of. There is ambiguity in this prophetic momma heart of mine that honours the mystery of that imagery. Feathers though generally symbolize covering or protection. Biblically speaking, I think of Psalm 91 and it’s overarching message. The colour red could mean suffering, sacrifice or sin.
This leads me to pondering the subjective, objective nature of this painting. Who do we believe Jesus Christ to be? Some say he was just a good prophet, or moral teacher who lived 200+ years ago. Others say he was a liar. I personally believe He is who He said He is and that makes all the difference how I view the storms of this life or the chaotic waves in this world. The object of my faith is the Source of all Life. It is this God I put my trust in as I live in the present and consider what lies ahead in the future.
When I asked Jaclyn why she painted these specific details, or even painted this theme in the first place, she answered with sweet humility. With a gentle pause as I spoke to her over the phone, a sensed a twinkle in her creative eye as she replied, “I’m not totally sure mom other than the fact I was just inspired, compelled to do so.”
