The Sixth Petition

Do not let surface things delude us, snare us and lead us away from You and Your purpose.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Surface is a noun defined as the outer or topmost boundary of an object, the superficial or external aspect. When we pray “do not let surface things delude us” we are asking to not be deceived by the way something might appear at first glance. This petition asks us to be deeply thoughtful and deeply receptive in prayer. Be willing to go below the surface of appearances.

The image “Migration” is one of nature. I stretched raw silk on a frame, dyed and painted it. The silk was then cut apart, sewn together in a quilt like fashion, embellished, and mounted on canvas. I thought of the sun which is not distracted from its course…ever. I thought of birds migrating and hunting for food with singularity of purpose. The universe has its way, its understanding, and its purpose. In appearance nature can have a beautiful simple presentation. But the complexities of nature proceed deeply and consistently; sometimes peaceful, sometimes violent, sometimes creative, and sometimes destructive.

The image, “Migration,” suggests that beneath surface appearances are complex layers of systems. If we only see the surface of nature we are not getting the whole picture. If we only see the surface of ourselves or others we do not understand the depths and complexities of the human experience. Surfaces appear real but often give false evidence; or at best, only rudimentary knowledge.