The Painting On The Wall

I was sitting in the periodontist’s office.
I was simply there for a checkup.
I came to the appointment on time but the doctor was running late.
I was placed in a blue room, in a dentist chair.

I sat there and wondered why so many dentist offices are painted blue.
It is said that the color blue is calm and tranquil.
The color blue is said to bring down blood pressure.
A soft blue is soothing, relaxing, and serene.

I looked in the corner and saw the quintessential mobile.
The mobile was hung from the ceiling with a wire.
This mobile had fish of various colors.
They were moving about every time the heat came on through the ceiling vents.

It was the painting in front of me that captured my attention.
It was a poster with Van Gogh in Saint-Remy and Auvers written across the bottom.
Van Gogh completed nearly 130 artworks during his stay in a mental institution at Saint-Remy.
Before me was one of those artworks, his famous Irises painting.

I was listening to a Sirius radio station playing songs from my high school and college days.
I was thoroughly enjoying my wait and even said so when the periodontist came into the room.
He had to leave to take a phone call from another doctor, which gave me a little more time.
As I studied every inch of the painting before me, I noticed the bottom right corner.

I saw one word that was somewhat hidden among the Irises.
VINCENT.
I was amazed that a famous painting by a famous artist would be signed in such a way.
I got up from the chair and took a picture.

Van Gogh simply signed his paintings, Vincent.
He did that because French people had trouble pronouncing his Dutch name, Van Gogh.
He only signed those paintings that he thought were ready to be sold.
His name appears in various places in his paintings.

I was mesmerized.
The beauty of the Irises, complex in their detail, did not match the simple signature before me.
Letters were written almost as an afterthought.
Letters were hidden so one would have to intentionally search for them.

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
(Isaiah 49:16)

I sat there looking at the Irises and thinking of Vincent’s name.
I thought about my own name and the promise that I am ever before my Father in Heaven.
God has engraved my name in the palms of His hands.
I am permanently before Him.

I am not hidden among the Irises.
I am not tucked inconspicuously in a corner.
I am a Masterpiece.
So are you.

Do you think about the fact that you are a work of art?
Do you think about the fact that your name is prominently engraved on God’s Hands?
Your name is not written in ink that can be easily erased.
Your name is engraved; your name is permanent.

Van Gogh signed only his first name because people struggled to pronounce his last name.
Van Gogh signed only those paintings he deemed worthy.
Not so with God.
We may forget Him, but God never forgets us; God cannot forget us.

The walls that are ever before Him are walls that are for our security and protection.
We are always before the God who created us.
That is such a comforting promise.
There is no need to hide and no need to fear if He deems us worthy.

We are not worthy, but we are deeply loved.
We are not worthy, but His Son, our Lord Jesus, is worthy.
We have every reason to hide from God because of our sin.
Instead, God the Father hides us in Christ when we come to Jesus in faith.

One painting, on the serene blue wall in the periodontist’s office, caused much contemplation.
I welcomed it.
It reminded me of who I am in Christ.
Loved. Known. Engraved on the palms of His Hands. Forever before Him.

Thank you, Father, for that promise.