From Performance to Presence: John 3:16 Mixed Media Artisan Journal

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 (KJV)

I created this piece years ago, in the early stages of my walk with Christ. I was just hitting the reality and tip of the iceberg of how much the Lord loves me, and it was profound and heart-hitting in ways I couldn’t fully articulate with words alone.

It wasn’t until I faced my own mortality that the weight of John 3:16 truly settled in my heart. When you’re confronted with the fragility of life, you begin to understand the magnitude of eternal love in a way that changes everything. Walking through a season where I faced my own mortality brought new depth to this verse. Suddenly the gift of eternal life wasn’t just theological – it was personal and urgent and beautiful.

The Depth of His Love

The reality is this: our Heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe, loves His creation so much that the depth of this love is far beyond human comprehension. Yet experiencing the rest that comes from this love is profound, especially in the day and age we live in.

The Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:17-19 that we would be “rooted and grounded in love” and have “strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

The Greek word for “comprehend” here is katalambano (καταλαμβάνω), which means to grasp, to seize, to make one’s own. Paul is telling us this love has actual dimensions – breadth, length, height, and depth – yet it surpasses our full understanding. We spend our lives exploring it and never reach the end.

When God Gives, He Truly Gives

What struck me most about John 3:16 during this season was understanding the nature of God’s giving. He didn’t just give something to us. He gave Himself. His one and only Son.

The Greek word edoken (ἔδωκεν) – “He gave” – is in the aorist tense, indicating a completed action. God gave, fully and completely. Not partially. Not conditionally. The gift was total.

And monogenes (μονογενής) – “only begotten” or “one and only” – emphasizes the uniqueness and preciousness of what was given. This wasn’t a spare. This was everything.

This is the model of true giving: not leftovers, not what’s convenient, but what costs everything. That’s agape (ἀγάπη) love – self-sacrificing, unconditional, lavish love for the kosmos (κόσμος), the whole world. Including you. Including me.

From Performance to Presence

Understanding God’s love is a journey, not a moment. Our human nature and life experiences can make it difficult to truly grasp and receive the depth of the Father’s heart. Sin distorts our understanding of love. It makes us think we have to earn it, perform for it, or that it could be taken away. But God’s agape love is completely different from anything we’ve experienced in our broken world.

For much of my early faith, I was caught up in performance Christianity – doing the right things, checking the boxes, striving to be good enough. But that performance mentality doesn’t produce the resting fruit that comes from abiding in Christ. It exhausts you. It’s never quite enough.

When you grasp that the Creator of everything gave His most precious treasure because of love, not because you earned it or performed well enough, everything changes. It moves from duty to devotion, from obligation to overflow. This sacrificial love that God demonstrated in John 3:16 is what invites us into relationship with Him, not religious performance.

Creating as Worship

This mixed media piece captures that moment of revelation for me. All those names of Jesus scattered throughout the background – Emmanuel, Messiah, Cornerstone, Comforter, Truth, Life, Bread of Life – they’re not just titles. They’re invitations into relationship. The earth at the center, surrounded by His identity, shows how His love encompasses all of creation.

The Techniques

For those interested in the creative process, here’s how I expressed this truth visually:

The Earth Circle: I created the earth using blended Tsukineko Memento Inks in blues, greens, and teals, allowing the colors to flow into each other organically. This represented both the beauty of God’s creation and the fluid, encompassing nature of His love.

Textured Layers: I stamped the xoxoxo pattern in the upper portion of the circle using white embossing ink and powder. I also used a names of Jesus stamp with the same white embossing technique. These textured layers created visual interest and depth, with each layer representing another facet of understanding God’s love.

Space Expanse Background: Although I didn’t have watercolors at the time for the background, I used Tattered Angels Sprays to create the visualization of the space expanse surrounding the earth. The atmospheric blues, grays, and purples created a contemplative space around the central focus. I blended these with Tsukineko Memento Inks to add depth, texture, and movement.

Scripture and Lettering: I hand-lettered “John 3:16” with a small red heart, making it personal and intimate. The heart wasn’t just decorative – it was a visual reminder that this verse is about love.

Names of Jesus: I hand stamped various names and titles of Jesus throughout the piece, surrounding the earth. These weren’t random – each name reflects an aspect of who He is and what He offers us in relationship.

The act of creating this was restful and worshipful, not performative. I was processing, experiencing, abiding in the truth of His love as I layered colors and words.

An Invitation

In our current world, with so much division, noise, and brokenness, experiencing the rest and security of being loved by our Creator is not just comforting but essential. It anchors us. It changes how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we move through our days.

If you’re reading this and you’ve been striving, performing, trying to earn God’s love – stop. Rest. You are already loved with a love so vast it has dimensions you’ll spend eternity exploring. God gave everything so you could be in relationship with Him.

That’s the Gospel. That’s the Good News. And it’s still as profound today as it was 2,000 years ago and when I began to embrace it.

This piece represents how I engage creatively with Scripture—in a dedicated journal, not in my Bible itself. That’s an intentional choice, and next week I’m sharing the biblical convictions, global perspective, and heart behind it. You might be surprised by what shaped this decision.

Do You Need Prayer?

If you would like to know more about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, or if you have prayer requests, I would be honored to pray with you. You can contact me directly by clicking the “contact me” button below.

“Why I Don’t Bible Journal” post: “Want to understand my approach to Scripture-based art? Read about why I create in separate journals”

Blessings to you in Christ Jesus, my Lord,

Filed under: Artisan Collection, Artisan Journal, Materials & Tools, Painting and Mixed Media, Scripture Reflections