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TheDiscipleMD

Perhaps you know the background to one of America’s most well-known paintings of the middle 20th century. Perhaps not! The painting pictured is called, “Christina’s World” and was painted in 1948 by Andrew Wyeth. The woman in the painting was a neighbor girl named Christina. She suffered from polio that paralyzed her lower body. Wyeth was inspired to create the painting when he saw her out his window crawling across a field towards her home.  I have seen this painting many times during my life, but I never knew the background. Knowing it gave me a deeper appreciation for the painting and it’s message. I once recall walking home as a boy and when rounding the corner, my house came into sight. It was a warm feeling. For Christina, her trip home was much more laborious because of her disability.  Yet, she started to her house the best way she could. By crawling!

Most of us don’t have to crawl to get to our homes, but most of us, like Christina, would, if that was the ony way to get there. Yet, in many ways all of us are crawling to our Heavenly Home above.  We stumble, we fall, we get up and yes, sometimes we crawl when we have too. Why?  Because like Christina we know what is waiting for us upon arrival.  We know of the warmth and the loving arms that await us. Christ said, “For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me…” (John 16:27)

Even in our extremities may we find the strength to move forward to our heavenly home above.  May God grant us the faith to find a way back to him. And if needs be, may we all have the courage to ‘crawl’, if we must, back to Him who is our Father. The love and repose that await is worth the sacrifice!