Why this character?

There is something about the character of Sawyer that you can’t help but like. He comes across as a tough, independent soul but when others around him are threatened or suffering, he shows a spirit of compassion and is quick to back you up, even at his own expense. There is also something powerful about seeing a man pray and I wanted to capture that in this painting. There were other characters from the show that I thought would be more suited to show in prayer such as John Locke but for some reason, Sawyer kept coming to mind. I felt like if you could show the most rebellious, shadiest character on the show in prayer, that would really reach out and grab people and it did!

Symbolism in the Painting

The three crosses from Mount Calvary - The crosses at the top of the mountain on the right hand side of the painting symbolize that there is no mountain too tall, no problem too big that God has not already conquered. All you need to do is to believe and have faith in Christ and your every need will be met.

The messages in the bottle – I painted this bottle of messages washed up on the shore since there was an episode from LOST when the castaways put messages in a bottle to send out to anyone who might find them away from the island. The message I painted in this painting read “I have survived and am stranded but have faith that I will be rescued” then the message is a bit obscure since it is wrapped in a bottle with the words “prayer that saves”. I wanted to leave some things up to the imagination of the audience as this bottle contained the hopes, dreams and future that is hoped for from the hearts of people stranded on this island longing to get home.

The logo from LOST in the verse at the bottom of the painting – I wanted this painting to be something people could identify with and relate to and since so many people were watching and becoming huge fans of the show, I wanted to add something along with the verse “where there is doubt, faith”. What came to my mind was a verse from the song “Amazing Grace” by John Newton. I added some graphics from the show of the castaways silhouetted against the backdrop of the ocean along with the verse “I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now, I see”.

Overall, my goal was to capture the emotional devastation of the aftermath of a plane crash but also show that even in the midst of the worst circumstances, that God is already there to help you overcome that circumstance. Every circumstance, every problem, and every trial you will ever face, must bow to the authority of Jesus Christ.

Struggling with my own doubts and faith

I had so many doubts that I would not be able to do this painting justice but I knew that if God gave me the idea, then He would be faithful to complete that which He began and give me the ability to finish it for this exhibit and that there would be people it would touch and speak to. I had some artist friends that critiqued the painting and pointed out some flaws which I recognized but the point of the painting was not to be perfect but to show a human being with all of his flaws and issues praying before God in the middle of a chaotic scene surrounded by peace. While creating this painting, I did learn the meaning of this verse ‘Where there is doubt, faith’. It is faith that enabled me to sit down at my easel each night and start painting whether I had the strength, the skills, and the know how to do the task or not. There were days when I struggled with this picture, and could not get things to look right but in the end, God gave me the confidence to relax, paint and enjoy the experience. There was pressure to get this done and meet a deadline but it also gave me the consistency to paint each day and with that consistency, confidence to get the job done. I could see God’s hand working as I overcame each obstacle and adding detail to this scene until I felt it was complete. In painting this image, I learned that it is through that faith that I know “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me” and so can you.

The Impact of this painting

I don’t think I have ever spent so much time praying over a painting as I have this one. I think the main reason was I knew deep down there was someone’s life that this painting was going to touch and speak to. Thanks to the power of the internet, this painting has literally gone around the globe and people have really responded to it. I met a young lady out in California who wrote to me and said, “I have to have this painting. I don’t care how much it costs. This painting is my life testimony”. She then began to share with me how God has rescued her from alcoholism and that the bottle on the beach and the mountains represented something that spoke to her. I have sold four copies of this print as the original painting became the property of the church as part of the ongoing art exhibit. I have met some wonderful friends through this painting as far away as Australia and have seen this picture now be displayed in homes and seen this picture go on tour to churches in Central Florida and seen by hundreds of people. My good friend and neighbor, Ken Sandon, gave me some feedback on this painting that I will never forget. He said there was something about this picture that just “grabs you and speaks to you”. It is moments like those when, as an artist, you can say ‘Thank you God, my work is done’. I do not know the eternal impact this painting will have or who else it will reach and speak to but it has inspired me as an artist to pray over all my paintings, to illustrate the bible and bring those characters to life and has taught me to pray diligently over everything I do. You never know the impact your life or something you do will have when you commit it to Christ.

The Prayer of St. Francis Exhibit

The exhibit that St. Luke’s Church started called ‘The Prayer of St. Francis’ was on display for nearly four months from November 2005 through February 2006 at the church and then went on tour to another church, ‘St. Paul’s United Methodist’ in September of 2006. The plans for this exhibit were for it to go on tour to churches all across the country to be a model for other churches to use in inspiring people to use their art talents to minister to others.

The Prayer of St. Francis - This story would not be complete without including the prayer of St. Francis itself.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

About Saint Francis

St. Francis was born at Assisi in the year 1182. After a carefree youth, he turned his back on inherited wealth and committed himself to God. Like many early saints, he lived a very simple life of poverty, and in so doing, gained a reputation of being the friend of animals. He established the rule of St Francis, which exists today as the Order of St. Francis, or the Franciscans. He died in 1226, aged 44. The prayer has many of the biblical truths of what it means to be a Christian - to seek to give, and in so doing, receive blessings; that the Lord's Prayer asks God to forgive us as we forgive, and that the goal of eternal life can only result from us putting to death our old sinful lives.

Closing Thoughts

Sometimes Christians are called to turn the world upside down. To bring the exact opposite of what we find in our world. St. Francis' prayer is a bold one, asking for strength to give of ourselves to meet the needs of others. He recognizes that it "is in giving that we receive", that as we give of ourselves, we receive the peace and blessing of our risen Lord Jesus. We cannot earn eternal life, but that we are pardoned from the sins that block our claim on it through the precious blood of Jesus and His taking our place on the cross of Calvary. "He was bruised for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed".