Acrylic on Canvas 48x36 - Edmonton - 2018] -
[Matthew 7:7-14]
This painting is associated with the earlier image, “Invitation to the Gate”. I imagined a figure hiking the narrow path beyond the ‘strait’ gate. Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 invite his followers to find the smaller, less obvious door, and then to take the narrow way that immediately presents itself. Unlike the main, big gates with their broad market lined concourses, this way would offer little attraction in the worldly sense. Similar to Jesus words when he says, ‘I am the way’, what commends the narrow path to us is that it is how we find Jesus, how we actually walk with him. Instead of showing an unadorned narrow alley beyond the gate, I portrayed the way as a rugged hike upwards into the distance, completely bathed in luxurious light. The staff and the weary posture of the figure give a hint of the dedication required to keep on following.