The other day I came upon a devotion that spoke about a particular painting that had hung in the back of a church that the author had known as a child. As I read the description of the painting, I thought to myself that I have seen that picture at sometime but the picture I recalled seeing was by the artist Warner Sallman of Jesus knocking on the door.
Yet the writer attributed the painting to a Holman Hunt this I thought must have been an error. The picture sounded the same, but because the devotion focused on the painter and his thought about the picture I decided to do more research. Though the descriptions seemed to match, the author of the devotion was describing a different artist picture. This caused me to investigate and locate the artist and the picture mentioned in the devotion.
What a wonder the Internet is. I was able to locate not a Holman Hunt but a William Holman Hunt a British artist that painted nearly one hundred years before Sallman. Hunt, a British artist, was well noted in his own time. His paintings hang at the British Museum and National Gallery in London. The devotion focused on his unveiling of his painting entitled "The Light of the World." When he had completed the painting, he invited friends to a private showing. All marveled at the painting until one particular friend pointed out that there seemed to be an error in the painting. "Uh, Holman - it's a beautiful painting. But - didn't you forget something?" "What did I forget?" The friend said, "The handle. There's no handle on the door." To which the artist simply replied, "Oh! No, I didn't forget the handle. When Jesus knocks on the door of your heart - the handle is on the INSIDE."
In my research of the similar paintings by two famous artist I also discovered that Sallman painting of Jesus is titled "Christ at Heart's Door” which lead me to believe that Sallman himself was aware of the story behind Hunt’s (an earlier generations famous artist) rendition of Jesus' famous statement "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11: 9-10.This exercise reminded me of the breadth and depth art can have. As I looked at both of these paintings I was reminded of a higher level to the meaning the pictures are conveying. I have seen various Sallman paintings over the years in countless churches yet I hadn't stopped to observe them in a way that allowed them to truly speak to me. Analogously our spiritual lives are the same. We don't really spend the time we need in seeking out the Holy. We expect God to do it all. Like what the artist William Holman Hunt wanted us to recognize in his painting we need to be about the task of working with God. We need to open ourselves to receive what God is showering on us. What Jesus is conveying to us are action words (verbs); ask, search, and knock! "And it will be given you."
If you do not perceive God as a real presence in your life maybe it is because you haven't paid enough attention, haven't looked beyond the obvious, haven't put forth effort? Remember Christ is at the door waiting for you.
Together in Christ,
Pastor Lane
P.S. check out the artists and painting mentioned above, they can be easily found on the internet.
