Help Thou Mine Unbelief

Help Thou Mine Unbelief was a painting long in coming. It begun with a small experience while we lived in Italy. One day my son became very ill. We had no medicine, no insurance, no immediate access to a hospital. Despite all that I tried to ease his suffering I was utterly helpless in relieving my suffering boy. To me, this story became about our need for divine help in our stewardships. Like the father in the story, left solely to ourselves we are ultimately helpless in improving our circumstances, let alone providing healing or consolation to loved ones or ourselves. After all we can do we are still mortals, even something so small as comforting a little boy in distress is somehow beyond our reach. I longed to capture a piece of the yearning I felt for some greater power beyond myself to come to my succor. Ironically, the father's plea is returned by Jesus, who in turn pleads for him to have faith to be healed. The father's pathetic reply rings so true to our own experiences... "Lord I believe...Help thou mine unbelief..."