New Mercies
50X50cm, Acrylic on Linen, Framed in Tasmanian Oak
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness - Lamentations 3:22-23
A wedding bouquet is a beautiful thing. Vibrant colours spill out in front of the bride as she holds them close, completing the picture of joy as she with her beaming face and flowing white gown.
A wedding bouquet represents new beginnings - yet the brokenness is still there. The fragmented pieces of two imperfect people join hands to form a beautiful union designed by their Creator - yet, another ingredient is needed if this precious, fragile thing is to stand the test of time. Just like the once bright and vibrant colours of the wedding bouquet, the excitement and intensity of new love will fade.
A wedding bouquet is a beautiful reminder of the vows first made - the words that established the union 'until death do us part', entwining hearts as the groom embraces his precious bride for their first kiss. Yet, the passage of time puts these words at risk of losing their meaning - the memory, and the intention behind those words, fades with the flowers as two broken people shift their attention to the busyness of life.
A wedding bouquet needs to be preserved if it is to last. The florist carefully hangs each bloom, watching the colours change over time until each petal is completely dehydrated. Though less vibrant than the freshly cut bouquet, the florist smiles as she admires the subtle, delicate shades of burgundy, burnt umber, yellow ochre, olive green... The stems and leaves are more fragile, yet there is an elegant beauty to them that they didn't have before. With immense care, she chooses each stem deliberately. The dainty round leaves of the eucalypts come in many shades of green, representing new beginnings, new hope, new mercies each and every day. Perfectly exquisite, deep red roses represent love, as well as sacrifice first demonstrated by our Creator. The perfect white of the baby's breath symbolises the purity of the union, a shadow of the relationship offered to us by the Author of the marriage covenant - so delicate and fragile, yet given again and again as we are washed clean.
A wedding bouquet is a beautiful thing. It represents new beginnings, as two broken people come together to form a beautiful union designed by their Creator - yet, another ingredient is needed if this precious, fragile thing is to stand the test of time. Though the brokenness is still there, though two imperfect people will continue to make mistakes and hurt one another in this imperfect world, The One who first created this beautiful thing will continue to show His mercy, and heal the brokenness. Just as the florist carefully dehydrates and preserves the fresh and vibrant bouquet, The One who is Love will drain away the selfishness and pride and human imperfections that cause the wilting. His mercies, new every morning, turn the vibrant colours of new love into the exquisite, subtle shades of a love that lasts an eternity. His mercies are new every morning - great is His faithfulness.