Yes, and fueled by a devotional passage I’d read in the morning and ignited by some powerful novocaine type drug administered by the oral surgeon that sent me into a state of utter relaxed awareness.
To this day I have no idea what the drug was. It triggered a kind of state in which images hovered around me in a pinkish, cloud-like vision. I credited it as a response to the words in the passage about our “white funeral,” a pivotal point on our faith journey. I had circled the words and jotted “image” beside it.
I know this sounds a llittle crazy and my imagination was working overtime for dramatic effect, but while I reclined in the oral surgeon’s chair I was having an experience that was cementing the importance of a big idea concept with images—images that I somehow understood and could use in my artwork.
After the procedure was over and because I could not eat or drink for a few hours, I drove straight to my studio and sat down at the desk, grabbed a small water color pad and paints and sketched the vision that was still running through my mind. I’m not sure it was as fabulous as the vision—seldom if ever does that happen!—but I wanted a hard copy of the experience.
I believe that this was the most unusual way the Holy Spirit has used to inspire me for a series of paintings. I hate root canals as a rule, but this was transformational.
This is the original painting I completed in the studio on the fateful day!
As I reflect again on this experience, I realize a greater significance about what happened: God can use any situation as an opportunity to communicate to me. A few times I have had really interesting adventures that have led to a new understanding or solution to a problem. I relish the fact that some how I can understand what the meaning is for me.
It has created a sensitivity in me to look for ways in which the Spirit works. Who am I that the H.S. should take an interest in me? But the most astounding thing is not WHAT he says, but THAT He speaks to us. And then in ways we can understand. I shifted to WE because I think we can all develop “ears that hear” and “eyes that see” even in our every day circumstances.
I believe that God has a language for each of us and that the more we respond the more He delivers.
Pay attention and listen to the patter of his footsteps in your heart.
I know that He gets through to me when I am viewing art, making art, reading His Word, and through musical lyrics—to mention a few. It is seldom as dramatic as the Root Canal Incident, but there are nudges, whispers. I believe God is whispering truth to us all the time.
Do you have a memory of a time when God clearly got you to understand something important that was meant for you?
For those who are curious—or dying—to know the passage was for January 15 in Oswald Chambers’ devotional My Utmost for His Highest.
Note: The experience was not repeated and the next time I went to the same office it was a totally routine event. Boring.
