Easy peasy, I thought. After all, I’d had plenty of experience with watercolor in school, and the composition seemed really simple.
So, I dove right in. I swished the tapered brush around in some water, plunged it into the pigment, and gave it a go.
A few minutes later, I was finished. But my rendition looked nothing like the one in the book. Sure, the proportions were close. It clearly represented birds and a mountain. But my short Western-style strokes gave the painting a completely different feel. The beauty of simplicity was lost in all my anxious dabbing at the paper.
It hurt my pride, but I knew I had to read the instructions.
As it turns out, Chinese watercolor incorporates specific strokes of varied line weights and pigment intensity. To do it well, you have to take the time to master these strokes before you even think about starting an actual composition. And in order to master the strokes, you need a calm, steady hand.
This gradual acquisition of skill reminds me of learning to follow Jesus. Like many young Christians, I began my journey with lots of enthusiasm to evangelize and serve. The problem was, the more time I committed to activities, the less time I committed to prayer and studying God’s Word. As a result, I grew tired and frustrated. It was as if I were trying to paint something glorious with an unskilled, shaky hand.
In Chinese watercolor and in the Christian life, it wasn’t until I learned the importance of rest that I began to get things right.
Jesus invites us to enter His rest with these words from MATTHEW 11:28-30:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Whenever I read that passage, the words “learn from me” jump off the page. Jesus was the Son of God, yet he didn’t make a move in ministry until he spent years studying scripture and seeking His Father in prayer. He developed a lifestyle of dependence on the Father, which carried through all the way to the cross.
As Christ’s followers, we have a fresh canvas before us. It’s ours to design and develop as God leads. So, what do ya say? Let’s rest at the Master’s feet and learn to paint with His strokes. Let’s honor Him with our humble reliance. Let’s create something beyond our human capacity—a brilliant composition for His Glory alone.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…” -HEBREWS 4:9-11
