Acrylic 24” x 32”   Luke 17:5-10

The event of healing is not so much a matter of mustering faith, but more the result of faith in God’s nudge to command healing. In Luke 17 it sounds like Jesus is saying to the disciples that they need more faith… but then he says that they only need the faith the size of a mustard seed, meaning, any amount of faith that connects them to God where the real power is. The painting explores this dynamic.

Some may feel slightly claustrophobic with these shadowy figures reaching towards them. Give it a moment. I was thinking about that instant when a person receiving prayer opens their eyes and looks up at those praying. They see the outstretched hands and earnest faces of those praying with all their heart. Look at the faces. They are either smiling or connecting with God in deep prayer.  Around the composition, the hands form an intermeshed dance where the viewer really cannot see which hands belong to whom. The crowd of people and hands represents those loosed on earth to usher in the Kingdom of God. They are blended together in such a way that no one can say who had the most faith nor credit a single person with ability to heal. Everyone gets to play. The result is fiery glory. Within the centre of the ring of people and hands is an eagle like outline, something powerful and full of light soaring heavenward towards God. When people’s faith points to God and gives him the credit, we call this glory.

From Jesus teaching we really do not find the source of power to heal in our faith, but our faith finds the source in God. The question for those loosed on earth will always be, “What is God telling us to command for him?”