Each year the flowers come in their millions – wild riots of colour – filling the waste places – indifferent of recognition – mindful only of the Creator’s call to be fruitful and multiply. They speak of His extravagant commitment to beauty and detail independent of human strife; they speak of His faithfulness and His promises…
“The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her waste lands like the garden of the Lord.” Isaiah 51 v 3. “The Lord is good to all; His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalm 145 v 9.

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I was alone at dawn on Mt Carmel. The Spring air was still, expectant. I made my way towards a solitary, very paintable fig tree. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When her branch is yet  tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that Summer is near. In the same way... Know that it is near, even at the doors. Truly I say to you, that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and Earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away.” Mark 13 v 28-31.We live at a time when the fig tree (Israel) is putting forth her leaves... The new day of His coming is almost upon us.

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In the middle distance is the spire of the church which may commemorate the site where Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two fish. I added the fishing boats as a reminder that this lake was the place where the first disciples made their living. And today?   Today He is willing and able to meet the needs of others, to release His miracle power, His provision, right where we live, right where we work... This is one of the paintings that were inspired by a time my wife and I spent in Israel.

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The seeds for this painting germinated on a quiet, evening walk on the slopes of Mt Carmel. A flock of goats browsed nearby, under the watchful eye of a young boy. The path, not unlike life, had many twists and bends... Later, I visited Jerusalem and gazed at the many new buildings straddling her ancient hills... The idea of hybridizing both scenes into a single painting took hold 12000 miles away after I had returned to New Zealand. “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s house will be established in the top of the mountains... and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD... and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” Isaiah 2 v 2-3. Our starting point is not important. Our heart attitude and our goal are what determine our destiny.

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The late afternoon air was heavy with the fragrance of orange blossom... As I reached the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee I came across these Israelis in their ferro cement boats. My mind went a long way back...“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew… they were fishermen. “Come, follow Me” Jesus said”. Mark 1 : 16-17. Though our lakes and our jobs may be different from theirs, the same invite, the same challenge is issued. If you look closely, you will find the Lord’s hand – beckoning us. Now it’s our move… our futures, our people’s destinies hang on our response.

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