Psalm 84 - My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

The Insignificant Ones II
(Ref 1/22)

Oil painting done on round canvas.
No need to frame - ready to hang on wall

Size of canvas : 140cm

South-Africa
R32 000
Postage within South-Africa is included

USA
$1800
Postage not included.

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Prints Available

Read the article about this painting in Juig Magazine
(In Afrikaans)

Psa 84:1 God of Heaven’s Armies, you find so much beauty in your people! They’re like lovely sanctuaries of your presence.
Psa 84:2 Deep within me ate these lovesick longings, desires and daydreams of living in union with you. When I’m near you my heart and my soul will sing and worship with my joyful songs of you, my true source and spring of life!
Psa 84:3 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God, even the sparrows and swallows are welcome to build a nest among your altars for the birds to raise their young.
Psa 84:4 What pleasure fills those who live every day in your temple, enjoying you as they worship in your presence! Selah.

In this Psalm, we see the psalmist expresses his own sense of the loveliness of the place where God is worshipped, and his earnest longing to be near God. He illustrates this feeling by a beautiful image drawn from the sparrow and the swallow, small insignificant birds - building their nests unobstructed and unalarmed near the very altar of God. As if they must be happy to be so near to God, and to dwell peaceably there.

The idea here is, that the sparrows and the swallows are to be envied. They come freely to the place where God was worshipped, to the very altars, and make their home there undisturbed.

Matthew 10:29-31
You can buy two sparrows for only a copper coin, yet not even one sparrow falls from its nest without the knowledge of your Father. Aren’t you worth much more to God than many sparrows?
So don’t worry. For your Father cares deeply about even the smallest detail of your life.

He encourages them not to fear by two striking considerations: first, that God takes care of sparrows, the smallest and least valuable of birds; and, secondly, by the fact that God numbers even the hairs of the head. The argument is, that if He takes care of birds of the least value if He regards so small a thing as the hair of the head, and numbers it, He will certainly protect and provide for you. You need not, therefore, fear what man can do to you. He is not like the gods worshipped by many of the pagan, who were supposed to be so exalted, and so distant, that they did not interest themselves in human affairs; but He condescends to regard the needs of the meanest of his creatures. It is one of the glorious attributes of the true God, that he can and will thus notice the needs of the mean as well as the mighty; and one of the richest of all consolations when we are afflicted and are despised by the world, is the thought that we are not forgotten by our heavenly Father. He who remembers the falling sparrow, will not be unmindful of us.

Every true man’s life is charged with a purpose of God, which will mold it and master it, so as that it may best work out His glory. He who notes the fall of the sparrow sees, numbers, and knows each human soul

Cherry Blossom
In Japan, the blooming of the cherry blossoms is celebrated. They call it Hanami. The Cherry Blossom festival. It is a word that is translated into Spanish and means "to see flowers".
This festival is usually March / April. Isn't it wonderful to also know that during March / April we celebrate Christ's crucifixion and resurrection!
This plant was able to adapt itself in an environment where earthquakes occur frequently. To survive, the tree's roots had to anchor themselves strongly deep under the earth to overcome the tremendous storms and still bloom every year. To still bear fruit every year despite the storms around him.
Every year, after extremely cold winters of up to -15 degrees C, these trees begin to bloom in the Spring with a spectacle of color and fragrance.
Php.  4:11-13 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 
I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me. “
The cherry blossom is associated with the beginning of a new chapter.  It only blooms for a very short time each year.  It reminds of the fleetingness of our life here on earth and to appreciate everything and everyone while we still have it. It symbolizes the feeling of renewal, hope, optimism of something better to come, new life, beauty and grace of Abba Father.
Psl 100:4  “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. “
It is interesting to know that the Cherry Blossom is the emblem of the Samurai. These are men who see it an honor to die in battle rather than to wither away and die of old age. These blossoms often fall to the ground before withering.
Christ was crucified at the youthful age of 33 and rose and conquered death.