This month I am revisiting a painting that I did ten years ago.
This painting was inspired by shocking world news in 2014. 276, mostly Christian girls, had been abducted from their school in Nigeria, by a terrorist group. At that stage, we had young girls of our own, and my heart cried out to the parents and young girls. According to Wikipedia over 100 of the girls was still missing in 2021. The estimation is that at least 2000 women and girls had been abducted by the group in one year, many of whom had been forced into sexual slavery. It is shocking to see the statistics of children who are kidnapped globally each day.
Does a parent ever stop searching? Do you ever stop hoping? It is horrible!
Thousands of miles away the eyes of a girl called out to be seen, to be remembered, and to be found.
While I painted this painting I was constantly praying for the young girls and their parents.
And that reminds me of a young girl from Israel who was taken captive by the Arameans (2Kings5). She became the slave girl of the wife of a great captain, who was highly respected as a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. This girl told her mistress that she wished the master could be with the prophet in Samaria, for he would be able to cure him of his leprosy. And so, the captain went to the prophet and was instructed to wash himself in the river Jordan. At first, he was furious and went away, but his servants convinced him to do as the prophet instructed him, and God cured him of his leprosy.
What a testimony. This young little girl was abducted and became a slave in a strange land. Instead of being embittered and finding delight in her abductor’s illness, she wished him well. She could have had revenge in her own way. Yet, she testified of a prophet and a God who could give him healing. We don’t see that she is returned to her parents, we don’t read that she benefitted in any way by doing good to her enemies. She wished them well and did what was right.
God is always in control. No matter how bad our circumstances are, we can trust Him! Let us praise Him! For He will use everything to make us more and more like His Son Jesus. May we pray for our enemies, that God may bless them. May we be truly happy when God bless them! May we be so filled with God’s love that it will overflow in our actions and speech. May we testify about God’s love and mercy!
