John 1:26-30 (1599 Geneva Bible) “John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there is one among you, whom ye know not. He it is that cometh after me, which was before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John did baptize. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold that Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Back in August of this year, I attended a workshop in Cody, Wyoming, learning how to write the Lamb of God icon. Each of the participants learned how to do each step of the process, from preparing the surface to mixing the egg tempera paint and applying gold leaf. The end product was both artistic and spiritual, bringing together my humble efforts in an act of devotion to the One we call the Lamb of God. The humility of the lamb, draped over the shoulders of Jesus, and that of Jesus in the role of humble shepherd is present. In every prayer uttered before, during, and after each step in the process, I found myself surrendering myself and embracing the act of drawing closer to my Lord. We Christians sometimes get wrapped up in how we think religion, church, or faith should look or be expressed. What I discovered in that workshop was that the more I saw my actions as an expression of my love of God, the more I was able to be carried in the embrace of the love that surpasses all understanding.
— Pastor Charles
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