The Heavens Are Telling the Glory of the Triune God

By Rudy Medlock
with his daughter Paige Medlock

 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5 ESV)

 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. (James 2:12 ESV)

The Francis Asbury Society asked my daughter, Paige, and me to create a major work of glass art for their new home. Their only directive was to create an image that reflects the essence of the message of the circuit rider, Francis Asbury, and the educator, theologian and scholar, Dr. Dennis Kinlaw. The challenge was to make visual the invisible Holy Trinity—the three in one—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Paige and I knew that together we had the opportunity and the calling to create a new work of art, inspired by God and given by the Holy Spirit. Dr. Kinlaw once told me that the first believers known to be filled with the Holy Spirit were Bezalel and Aholiab. They were the two craftsmen God chose to design His holy temple. Many artists can design and create well-crafted objects with an educated use of the formal elements and principles of art: line, shape, form, color, texture, value, harmony, dominance, rhythm, unity, balance, and movement.

But what the Francis Asbury Society wanted was artists who would follow James 1:5 and be co- creators with God. To facilitate hearing from God, I sat quietly in my old log studio, by the fire in the stone fireplace, with inspirational music playing. During the next two days, He gave me words and text to guide, inspire, and motivate the challenge ahead. The following are some of what I wrote down as He revealed them to me:

One day in the studio, I understood God to say, “I will lead your vision, your hand, and your heart. I will create through you and Paige a work of art that will please Me—God.” That was an amazingly beautiful promise; that it would please Him.

Another day, He reminded me that He would show me His ways, teach me His paths, guide me in His truths, because He is God, my Savior and my hope is in Him all day long (Ps. 25:4–5).

Another day, my wife, Pat, gave me this visual revelation: “While lying in the grass enjoying the sun and Son, I saw the light through my closed eyes change from fire red through orange to yellow, to clear and sparkling. God gives us His Son and the sun both to give us new light.” My prayer is that this stained glass art, using His light, will do the same.

With our spirits one with God, our co-creator, Paige and I began the “search” for the perfect image, essence, symbols, idea and content. She and I both created many preliminary sketches. We also searched the available sources in choosing the most optimal glass combinations for color, texture, and transparency.

One very important consideration was to marry the glass to the spectacularly gorgeous architecture, professionally created by the builder, Charles Howell. The timber frame structure and the glass must complement each other. They must belong together, much like exquisite jewelry on a beautiful lady.

One of the most significant clues God gave us—to make the two become one—was to search through the original architectural drawings and locate beams that appeared to be crosses. As the viewers spend time with the design, they will recognize that the lavender and burgundy cross members do appear to be three-dimensional, overlapping and moving vertically and diagonally, as do the beams in the building.

The gold and amber circle intersects, overlaps, and unifies all of the elements. The double light and dark teal trefoil pierces the golden circle as it weaves over, under and through itself. Three smaller rings fragment throughout the entire image, taking on the colors of all the other symbols. These symbols are suspended in a vast blue universe.

To assist the viewer with the full experience of this glass art, named The Heavens Are Telling the Glory of the Triune God, say to God the Creator, “Father, into Thy hands, I commit my Spirit.”

With open minds, receptive hearts, and the faith that the image was divinely inspired, try asking yourselves some of the following:

• What is my immediate reaction, feeling, or response in a word or phrase?
• Where does my eye go first?
• How does my eye move or explore?
• What symbolism is revealed to me?
• Why were those specific colors and textures chosen?
• How and why do the different shapes weave together?
• What does the blue area represent to me?
• How does the stained glass relate to the timber frame?
• How does the colored air affect my experience as I move closer and around?
• What new appreciation happens when I see it from the opposite side?
• What will I take with me as I depart from this glass?
• Will I return for prolonged viewing and a time of quiet contemplation?

Paige and I are the most fortunate recipients from the glass, as we received it from our Lord and translated it to the viewer. We thank and give all praise to the Father, for this translucent, three- sided field of multi-colored light that He gave to reach out and touch those with open eyes, hearts and minds. We pray that each viewer will receive in a very personal and enlightening way what God wants to reveal to him or her. Paige and I celebrate the end of this creation and begin a new celebration with you, the viewer, as we all come to know the Three in One in a revolutionary new way.

All Praise to Him
Thank you, Father, Creator of All,

Paige and Rudy Medlock