“The River of Life” by Sallie Reid
“Then the angel of the Lord showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1
“The River of Life” was the first painting I was asked to do in a worship service. I didn’t know what to paint. I decided to let go and trust God to show me what I was to do. As time passed, I felt I would use a big canvas, 8 x 10 feet, in acrylic paint. Nothing like going all out the first time.
The Holy Spirit was so present in the service that night, I could hardly stand up. There were several times I was on my knees, sobbing in His presence. Until that point in my life, I had never felt His presence so strong. I perceived He was guiding me in every deci-sion. I had never been so fulfilled and full of purpose as I was that night.
I completed the painting the following week at home. As I painted, the same sweet-ness of the Holy Spirit filled me up. I was blessed by the Holy Spirit’s presence and the guid-ing of my hand.
This was the first of many murals and life-size works I have painted in this journey with the Lord. He continues to fill me with his presence just as He did that night in 2007. It is my prayer that you would encounter the sweetness of the Lord as you view this piece. His presence in my life has changed me forever. This painting hangs in the baptistry of Shilo Baptist Church of Madisonville, Texas.
