This is the “I wasn’t expecting this at all painting” also known as I what I came up with after hearing Jeremy Camp’s new single “He Knows” once on Air1 and then looking up the lyrics about 10 minutes later. I so needed that song the day I heard it. Tears started to well up in my eyes as I listened to it while heading home from some errands I had to run that morning. I came really close to crying. I know that song will be touching people’s lives even more so than it did mine that morning (and 4 days later when I broke down in tears while listening to it the 3rd time). That evening about 20 to midnight, the idea for the painting popped into my head. I had just finished reading the Sherlock story “The Blue Carbuncle” and was about to turn in. I grabbed my phone and quickly typed in the notes for how I wanted the painting to look. I even re-looked at the lyrics to make sure I had the correct thought process going. The next day (Sept. 13) I finished the border & flowers for the I Love You! – God painting and was deciding which painting to start next. I decided to go with the one for He Knows as I was still working on the drawing of Jesus for Free. The painting took about 3 hours to complete with distractions. The premise for it goes off the lyrics where it mentions all of the stuff we have gone through or felt that is negative/dark and that He knows all of it. The idea of a dark outer area and light in the middle was a reminder from the lyrics (although not directly mentioned) and from the Bible that what is done in secret or darkness will be brought to the light. I also remembered in the Gospels where Jesus mentions light casting out darkness and thought of a lit candle breaking up the darkness. When I do these types of paintings, I generally try to find a Bible verse that goes with the song. If the album doesn’t say it (or is not out yet as was the case this time), I will try to find one that works or ask the artist directing when possible. For this painting, I found one that seemed to fit which is Psalm 102. It may seem odd to have such a verse when so much of the explanation of the painting seems to scream Mark 4:22. However, the psalmist bears his heart of suffering and his knowledge that God knows and understands. That He is there.
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