Healing of the Nations

Caroline Camden Lewis. Healing of the Nations.  Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas.  48 x 30 inches.  (2018) $ 2500-SOLD

Almost ten years ago, I stumbled upon this verse: Rev. 22:2, speaking of the New Heavens and New Earth reads:

“In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.  The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (NKJV).

I imagined leaves of color mingled with leaves of gold and this–the remedy for the ills of war, suffering, disease, pain and loss.  Throughout the Scriptures, trees play an important role: The tree in the Garden from which humanity can trace her depravity, the tree upon which Love hung as a sacrifice for our redemption, and the Tree which, in the end, will heal all nations and peoples who long for restoration with the God who created them.

While Scripture promises ultimate healing, the daily struggles of life can seem insurmountable, overwhelming—at times even cruel and unjust.  Yet God makes his healing love available to us even in those moments of doubt, hopelessness and despair.  Art has been a way that God has healed me—by allowing me to see beauty in the small things—the seemingly ordinary or even “insignificant” things.  The artist’s journey for me has been about healing my heart from sorrow to joy. Joy because the greatest artist of all, God, the Creator of all things, has given me vision to see His beauty and perspective to see His grace. In that hope, I have received healing.