Beyond Measure

by Meaghan Troup

Original - Sold

Price

$1,100

Dimensions

24.000 x 30.000 x 1.500 inches

Title

Beyond Measure

Artist

Meaghan Troup

Medium

Painting - Oil On Canvas

Description

This image is inspired by the beautiful autumns we experience in Central PA. Foliage is especially stunning up in the mountains where nothing disrupts your study of nature.

Before commencing this piece God had already placed a scripture on my heart, however I struggled with a title for several weeks. During this time, the song "How Great the Father's Love for Us" was constantly on my mind. Ultimately, it was my wonderful husband (who possesses the great talent of being able to simplify the clutter of my thoughts) who coined the title- "Beyond Measure."

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55: 8-9

Looking back, this verse is especially potent, as I finished this piece the day we we discovered that my husband had a large blood clot in his leg, and that what had previously been diagnosed as pneumonia, had actually been a pulmonary embolism. Both could have taken his life.

We don't always understand why God allows certain situations to occur in our lives. Often when we go through trials we question, we wonder what we've done, we look for logic in the senseless, and sometimes we become angry with God. That response is normal, but it is flawed. It is not our place to question God. We are so small in the grand scheme of this universe- mere dust. Our view of the world, and the circumstances we face in it, is so narrow and self-oriented. God sees the complete picture over the entire course of time. In our fear, ignorance, and egocentricity we believe ourselves to be as intelligent as God. Since we cannot discern a logical reason for suffering we fall to the fickle assumption that God is not there. What misguided thought!

To those who are prey to this impetuous frame of mind I would ask how God, who for our sake did not spare the anguish of His own Son, could suddenly disappear in a moment of hardship? Moreover, why do we question and blame God when it is our sin that allowed suffering to enter the world? Why would we believe that somehow we should be spared from trials when Christ, who our lives should exemplify, faced so many? Why don't we see that God allows adversity in our lives to refine us, to teach us to seek Him, and to strengthen our faith and resolve? It is not God's place to be what we feel we need Him to be- He is already everything we need. It is our place to become what God requires us to be with His guidance.

I know that this is easier said than done. As for myself, I am often that individual who struggles with the anxieties of tomorrow and the desire to control the circumstances of today. God has taught me, and is still teaching me, to surrender my life to Him daily. I have seen first hand how God makes ALL THINGS good. His ways are higher than ours- we cannot comprehend them. His thoughts are greater than ours- we cannot grasp them. So put your stress ball down and hand your worries over to your Heavenly Father because He is great beyond measure.

Jury selected "Only Your Best For Sale", Feb 2013; 3rd Place "Trees", Dec. 2012;Top 10 "Most Treasured" Juried contest by Palette Knife &Spoon Group, Dec. 2012

Uploaded

November 10th, 2012

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