Prayer is the greatest interpreter of Hope

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale assault on Ukraine. Destruction of lives and property led me to my knees. In the summer of 2022, I prayed earnestly for Ukraine and Russia with my paintbrush. The result was Sunflowers and Chamomiles, the national flowers of Ukraine and Russia, respectively. My heart was particularly drawn to mothers trying to protect and provide for their little ones. I still pray for them, and this painting is a reminder of those prayers and a call to continue in lament before God.

Lament is defined as a passionate expression of grief or sorrow, expressing regret or disappointment. Sometimes, it is a silent lament – when words are not enough (Romans 8:26: “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.) And sometimes, like this painting, my lament was my way of standing in solidarity with the suffering people in Ukraine and Russia. But my lament was also a prayer to the Almighty Creator God, who cares much more than I do for the people. Sharing the grief of those suffering in this crisis by lifting up their lives and needs before God gave me strength and hope because there is no greater love than the Creator’s.

In their book Reconciling All Things, Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice remind us to live by things not yet seen (66), just as the biblical community lived in the hope of the promises not yet fulfilled. Lament is the cry of the Psalmist, who felt abandoned. In my case, it is this painting over the summer of 2022 through which I remembered and prayed for the people of Ukraine and Russia.

The making of Sunflowers and Chamomiles was a slow, intentional, sacred, and artful process. I prayed in general for the two nations as I painted the background. I laid out the composition with the national flowers of the two nations. The background blue represents the hope that God loves these nations (people and land) more than I do. The recognition of God’s love gives hope. After painting the flowers, I felt a continued burden to pray. I outlined the flowers in my style of work and began filling in the flowers with patterns as I continued to pray. If you look closely, you will find intricate patterns on the petals and the background of this work. Every single line is part of my prayer or lament and hope for peace, provision, healing, restoration, and some just silence.

As we are aware, the war is still going on in Ukraine. This is devastating news for those living in war zones and has created a sense of worry or even despair over this situation. As I look at this painting, I remember God’s great love and pray for the people. I see a place for my despair in God’s love. There is room for silence in God’s omnipotence, grace, and love.

This painting is one way I have recognized my love for God and my participation in God’s restorative love for His creation and His provision for the people and the land.

Prayer is the greatest interpreter of hope!