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The Story of Beloved

 

From the time of its conception, Beloved was a process of increasing intimacy with the Lord.  I first became aware of this banner while worshipping one Sunday and the focus was about intimacy.  I physically felt as though I was being wrapped up in something that was very loving.  The sense that was filling me at the time was of warmth, the colour was red, the shape round and I felt like I was being called to be very, very vulnerable.  I described this awareness to an intercessor that it was like being in the womb. The scribbles that I drew at the time were abstract arms encircling a “blob” and the working title was “Lover of my soul”.  I knew I had been given a new banner but the call was very personal and one I hadn’t answered before.

God as my loving heavenly Father was an easier concept for me than one of a lover and I didn’t know how to portray this because I hadn’t experienced Him in this way for myself yet.  So I started on a journey of getting to know Him as a lover.  Immersing myself in the Song of Songs was the first place I started and I asked the Lord to reveal himself to me as a lover.  The banner picture remained abstract and difficult to interpret so I continued to seek Him and not concentrate on the banner.

About 6 months later while I was worshipping and pondering the Beloved, I was reminded of a painting I had seen as a child depicting two lovers looking into each other’s faces.  Knowing the Lord was speaking to me I reluctantly began to draw people into this banner.  It continued to evolve over several more months until I understood the embrace He wants to hold me in – looking into my eyes, both of us oblivious to the world/circumstances around us.  The title became “Beloved” referring to the two figures – He is The Beloved and we are His beloved.  Because I had never drawn people before it was a stretch for me artistically and I enlisted the help of two artist friends for details and perspective that I couldn’t sort out on my own. Unlike previous banners the picture was not finalized before I began construction knowing that He would show me the rest as I went.

The background is in an oval shape continuing on the theme of round.  After the banner was complete I researched the meaning of the oval shape and discovered it was used in early Christianity to represent the fish but it also represents the womb or seed! Scarlet red is the predominant colour of the background speaking of both love and sacrifice.  The fabric is unusual in comparison to the other banners because it has a floral pattern.  The Beloved spends time in the garden with His Bride. (SofS 5:1)

The two figures are wrapped in an embrace.  His left hand is supporting her head, fingers entwined in her hair.  His right arm encircles her in an all-encompassing embrace. His arms are slightly larger than proper proportion would call for because the banner is emphasizing the embrace He wants to hold us in. (SofS 2:6) Her right hand is on his cheek and they are gazing into each other’s eyes.  The mood of the posture is one of intimate connection - no one else in the world exists except the two of them.

The Beloved is dressed in sapphire blue, a heavenly colour (Ezek 1:26) as well as the colour of the tribe of Judah but he is also described as being decorated with sapphires (SofS 5:14) His blue eyes were a struggle for me because even though that is how I see Jesus I didn’t want the banner to be exclusively Caucasian.  However when I asked friends of different ethnic backgrounds they either see Jesus with blue eyes themselves or didn’t even notice…  Throughout the construction of the banner I was neither interested in nor given a mouth for The Beloved.   It was pointed out that as a result our focus settles on His eyes and the connection they are making with His bride.  Song of Songs 5:11 describes him with a gold head – reluctant to make him appear metallic I asked him what his skin was like.  I feel He told me that gold refers to olive skin tones which makes sense as He is Jewish.

His beloved is wearing white as the Bride of Christ.  I initially resisted making the bride look too feminine so as to not alienate the men of the church however The Lord gently chastised me that symbolically the church is the Bride and she is feminine.  He told me to use the scraps left from my own wedding gown to construct her gown because it was to be a wedding gown, not just a white dress.  The Lord dresses us in white and bedecks us with jewels when He calls us to be his Bride.  (Is 61:10) The males in the church are just going to have to get over the fact that they are the Bride too!!  The Bride is wearing jewels so His beloved has earrings and a ring on as well her dress is decorated with pearls.

The letters are constructed of purple and gold emphasizing the fact we are Brides of the King. They are even positioned such that the word LOVE in Beloved is over the couple becoming his declaration over us (SofS 2:4).

The hangings from the crossbar continue the theme of an extravagant yet intimate place; the pearls represent how obtaining the “pearl of great price” is going to cost us everything (Mtt 13:43).

On the back are the verses from Song of Songs, his call to us; Arise come my darling my beautiful one, come with me.  2:13. And our acknowledgement of our relationship with him; I belong to My Beloved and His desire is for me 7:10.  Between the two verses is a broken alabaster jar being poured out (Mk 14:3) – our response to His love for us. Again – representing a costly response but when given, one that brings us into that place of intimacy.