Rays of Glory (Jacqueline Tookey) - When accepting the honored task of painting a banner for CROSSWALK worship, I thought it would be easy. How difficult could a little bit of paint brushed across some fabric be? After all, controlling a paintbrush was something I learned from my mother when I was a young child, and had repeated many times since. There would be no problem. It wouldn’t take long, maybe a couple of days. “I’ll do it this weekend!” 

“This weekend” turned into several weeks, as I struggled to put the first stroke on the canvas. Everyday, I’d pass by the outstretched fabric hanging on my wall and think, “it’s time to start.” Everyday, I’d walk by and question, “But where do I begin?” I began to feel the concern and pressure of “my banner” being used as a visual witness to God, and I felt inadequate. Then, it hit me! It wasn’t my banner. It was God’s. I asked God to use me as His instrument; His storyteller, and He did.

The next day, my idea of representing The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one canvas began to take form. The sun rays breaking through stormy clouds and shining light upon God’s people represents God the Father. The risen Christ’s empty blood-stained cross depicts Jesus, the Son. A grace-flamed dove flying in among God’s people illustrates the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The banner not only represents the Holy Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but more importantly, it bears our human relationship with God. The Bible-time people encircling the cross are in awe of the glory of God; His love, grace, forgiveness and resurrecting power over death and evil. 

“So what about the ball cap?” Again, God was guiding my brush throughout the entire project. Every time I thought it complete, I’d stand back and see another need; another brush-stroke or person needed. I painted the ball-capped man in the foreground and almost removed him several times. He didn’t fit my vision, biblical characters all around the empty cross. But, that’s the point! He did fit God’s vision, the vision of a God who is very present not only during the time of Christ, but in our day too; the vision of God’s “today people” very present at the foot of the cross being touched by the Holy Spirit and standing in God’s Rays of Glory.