Sandi Hester

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so He went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.  When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.  Luke 7:36-38

Ever found yourself at His feet?  Ever had your sins known by all – as if you wore them for all to see?  This woman knew the depth of her sin, as did everyone else in town.  That night Jesus sat at a table surrounded by men who were powerful and influential, yet who were also stained deep with sin.  And yet there was only one that night at that dinner party who had their stains washed clean – an unwanted and uninvited dinner guest – a lady who dared tarnishing her already tainted reputation.  There’s something that happens to shameful sin when placed at His feet.  Some of us know what that feels like, and some of us know why that lady wept that night …at His feet. 

This is the second painting in the Lady Series.

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.  Isaiah 1:18 

This is one of the first ladies I painted from the Lady Series .  Her title, ‘Loose Woman’, is a play on words because she is painted in a loose style and her red skirt symbolizes her loose lifestyle.  There are many women in the bible with promiscuous histories that, after incountering Jesus, had grace-filled redeemed futures.  This series represents ladies who have sin stained backgrounds and have come face to face with the One who bears our shame and redeems what seems unredeemable.  He reclaims what has been stolen, He gives back what has been given away,  He makes clean what is dirty, He makes new what is used, He purifies what is tainted.  Jesus is His name – our great Redeemer! 

I have been working on a series of paintings that I’ll be posting over the next week or so.  They are a series of paintings that represent ladies from the bible and they may also represent you – I know several of the ladies represent me!  They are painted very loosely in style (that just means there’s not a lot of detail – it’s not an exact rendering of something – see the tree painting and the daffodil painting for examples of loose style paintings) and several of the ladies have skirts on in different colors.  The different color skirts were used to symbolize different things about the ladies (that part will make sense when you see the paintings and the scriptures and descriptions with the paintings).  I’m looking forward to sharing these with you.  Keep posted – they’re coming to a blog near you!

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.  Matthew 9:37-38

I like to paint and Grady likes to creek fish, so sometimes we go together and do what we both enjoy.  This picture was a result of one of those times.  We went up to Bethpage (Grady is that where we were?) and Grady and Clay (one of Grady’s fishing friends) fished and I plopped down in someones field and painted this field and barn.  I really like how the painting turned out – I just wish I hadn’t written on it.  Oh well, I guess I’ll always remember where and why I was painting that scene.

As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight.  They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them.  Leviticus 26:36

Yes, this is God talking and no, He wasn’t talking to Israel’s enemies – He was talking to His chosen nation Israel!  Leviticus 26:1-13 tells of all God will do for those who obey Him – it’s some good stuff too.  Then right after the rewards come the punishment for disobedience.  This is where I got the leaf scripture.  What a sad place to be as a child of God – living in the land of your enemies – fearful all the time – even a tiny dead old leaf scaring you to death.  When all along, if you would turn to your God and listen to and follow what He has to say, He would set you in green pastures, place you under the shadow of His wings, set you firmly in the Strong Tower. 

Too often we see God as demanding and commanding.  We see His “rules” and “regulations” as restricting.  Why is it so hard to see how loving He is in setting up fences and gates around His safe pasture and desiring for us to stay in those green pastures?  Would we call a parent “restrictive” who told their child not to go near the road – that it wasn’t a safe place for them to play.  A loving parent sets up boundaries for their child.  Our heavenly Father is no different. 

Let’s take marriage for instance.  God has laid down laws and in essence has said, “Sandi, I want you to have the best of the best in marriage.  I have created it to be quite amazing.  There is sweetness, intimacy, and love to be shared and known under the marriage covenant.  I want you to know how it can’t get any better – I want you to know how precious it can be.  Here’s how… remain pure – save yourself for the man I’ve picked out for you.  I have some sweet surprises and blessings for you if you will do this.  However, if you go against me on this – if you decide you want to play in the road – go out side of the safety of the fence I have put up for you… well there will be consequences to your sin (sexually transmitted diseases, premarital pregnancy, etc.).  Sandi, if you will listen to me, I’ll show you how to be a wife that honors her husband and glorifies me… be submissive to Grady (oh no, I know I just lost a bunch of you with that phrase – but it’s the truth – I have experience such sweet God glorifying things in my marriage as I learn to have a gentle and quiet spirit and am submissive to Grady.  Why do we think being submissive means weakness and something bad.  Christ was submissive to the Father.  I am only imitating Him when I submit.)  God has preciously laid out how to have an amazing marriage.  He designed it – He should know how it works beautifully and how it can be disastrous. 

All His laws are for our good and His glory.  I have lived too much of my life “outside the fence”.  I lived too long following my own desires and my own rules.  I have reaped nothing but heart ache and sin when left to my own way.  I have found such pleasure and delight in God’s ways.  His pastures are green and His fences are precious to me.  Oh Jesus, “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your Name.”  (Psalm 86:11)  I want to fear you Lord and not the sound of a wind blown leaf.

In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.  Psalm 5:3

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.”  Matthew 9:37-38

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  Revelation 21:2

Where morning dawns and evening fades You call forth songs of joy.  Psalm 65:8

This painting is of a sunrise and a sunset – between the two God has called forth songs of joy for today… can you hear them?