When I was growing up, our family lived in
a trailer house in a small town in Wyoming. Both of my parents worked. My dad
was a truckdriver and my mother was a cook at the county hospital. We did not
attend church. My family had at one time, but we stopped going when I was
around four years old. My father continued listening to Christian music, and I
would at times see him sitting in a chair reading the family Bible. Still, my
exposure to Christianity was limited. It was not that my parents did not
believe, but we had drifted away from church.
Still, there was one thing that had an
impact on me. In our house we had a large picture of Jesus sitting on a hill,
and before him were pictures of the faces of soldier’s faces. It was nighttime,
and you could see what I assume was Jerusalem at the bottom of the hill. The
soldier’s faces seemed out of place, and it was Jesus that always captivated me
about that picture. He was just sitting on that hillside. I could just sit and look
at that picture. There was something about it that brought me peace.
A few years ago, I started trying to do some
painting. My painting style is what I call “Early Amateur.” I am not a talented
artist; I would be happy to be an average artist. Still, I try from time to
time. One day I decided to try to paint a large picture of Jesus to have
on my wall. I fumbled along, and what you see above is what I painted.
Is it on my wall now? Yes.
Do I think it is fine art? No.
What this picture does for me though is bring me peace when I am having
a challenging day. Some of it is nostalgia. It reminds me of the other picture,
but even more so it reminds me of a Savior who loves me. Who loves you. I do
not pray to the picture. The picture is not an idol, but it points to the one
who came and died for our sins. It points to the one hope that we all have for
an eternity of peace. A peace just waiting for us, but we must acknowledge that
God sent his Son Jesus to save the world through his sacrifice. We need to
accept him as our Lord and Savior. I hope you have.
I hope you have a blessed day.
Layman Ray
