Littleness and Trust

Oil on Canvas

© 2022 Adelaine Nohara

This is my first oil painting – a visual meditation flowing from the experience of my last eleven years of illness. In the spring of 2015, my illness had devasted my nervous system. I was utterly exhausted, in pain, and incapable of reading, writing and speaking; but, I could still sit outside for a few minutes on my good days, resting my eyes on the beauties of nature. As I did so, the Lord read to me from the book of His Creation, speaking to me through a variety of miniature sparrows that spotted the lawn. The littleness and vulnerability of those tiny winged creatures stirred my heart, reminding me of the Scripture, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). Why should I be anxious over my poor health and fragility, when I remained under the watchful care of my all-provident Father? Surely, He knew everything I was suffering, and would give me all that I truly needed. Even if I was to “fall to the ground” in death, I would be safe in His loving care. I only needed to embrace my littleness and dependency on Him. Seeing this, I strove to ‘make my nest’ in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, giving Him my total trust; and because He is trustworthy, He sustained me through the storm.

I wrote a poem to accompany this painting – a song of trust in Jesus, penned by a little soul. It echoes Psalm 131, which has been my ‘Instruction Manual’ for prayer for a long time.

His Sparrow’s Song

A poem by Adelaine.

Tiny wings

So many things

Beyond my reach and song.

One stands by

Knowing why

Hearkened to my melody.

I see in Him an open tree

Waiting, wishing but for me.

In His Heart I build my nest,

His shade a mother’s tenderness!

The portal where His Heart was torn:

The fountain where my soul is borne

Above the fears assailing me;

Dismayed at life I need not be.

In death the Godhead once was laid

Because our wrongs His Love had paid.

He slept in nature’s quiet tomb,

The Lord of life in earth enwombed!

My Maker as a fallen bird,

Destroying death emerged the Word

And now with hope and trust I rest

Upon the Saviour’s humble breast.

Tiny wings

So many things

Beyond my reach and song.

One stands by

Knowing why

Hearkened to my melody.

I sing in sweet security.