16×20″ oil on canvas
Inspired by David Elginbrod by George MacDonald, specifically the following passage:
A prayer:
O Thou, what keeps the stars alight,
And my soul burning with a light
Above that of the stars,
Grant that it may shine before Thee
As the stars forever and ever.
And as Thou holds the stars
Burning in the night,
When there’s no one to see,
So hold Thou the light
Burning in my soul,
When I see neither Thee, nor it,
But am buried in the grave
Of sleep and forgetfulness….
Grant that more and more thoughts of Thy thinking,
May come into my heart day by day,
Until there shall be at last an open road
Between Thee and my soul,
And Thy angels may ascend and descend upon me,
So that I may be in Thy heaven,
Even while I am upon Thy earth:
Amen.
[changed slightly to alter perspective]