天父的心

這幅畫的主題是描繪當以撒和以實馬利兄弟兩回家的時侯,天父迫不及待地迎接他們。
畫的左上角繪畫封閉古老的門戶已被打開, 天使在歡呼, 歌唱，贊美並見證天父喜悅的時刻: 以撒和以實馬利兄弟倆回家。畫的中間是祭壇,神在哪裡與亞伯拉罕立了約,天父一直記念這約定。祭壇下面是使女夏甲和她兒子以實馬利被趕出家門憂傷痛苦的情境; 畫的左下方是亞伯拉罕和兩個兒子: 童年的以實馬利和以撒。畫的右下方是現在或將來的以撒和以實馬利兩兄弟同心呼喚阿爸父神, 畫中間的天父伸開雙臂要擁抱他們; 畫上角的鴿子代表聖靈。
父神的榮光照落在兄弟倆身上, 是天父的愛,聖靈的工作,使兒女的心轉向父,父的心轉向兒女。願神使用這畫感動祂的兒女體貼天父的心, 為以撒和以實馬利兩兄弟早日回家代求!

This painting depicts our Heavenly Father earnestly welcoming his sons Isaac and Ishmael back home to His Heart.
Ancient gates of Heaven (shown on the upper left hand corner) are now opened. Our Heavenly Father looks on with joy as the holy angels sing, praise, celebrate and witness the fulfillment of His Father’s heart for the return and restoration of His sons to Him as well as to one another.
In the middle of the painting lies an altar, representing God’s covenant with Abraham and the commemoration of its everlasting nature. Below the altar, are the silhouettes of Hagar and Ishmael, They are laden with anguish and the torment of separation as they are cast out of their home. In the bottom right hand corner, we see Abraham with his two young sons, Isaac and Ishmael (note their facial expressions) and in the bottom left hand corner is a present or future scene of both Isaac and Ishmael, standing together, reunited in their cry for their Heavenly Father.
Our Heavenly Father is pictured in the middle of the painting with arms extended welcoming His two sons. His glory is shining on them and His love is poured out on them. The work of the Holy Spirit (represented by the dove) turns the Father’s Heart to His children and the hearts of His children to Him.

Painting by Jean Long in Vancouver BC   
August 12, 2011