Prophetic Art Painting (Purple Butterfly)

Title: Take Courage
Size: 14" x 18”
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Artist: Catherine Wong
Date: 28th January 2019

During our church prayer meeting on the 26th of January, 2019, I kept seeing the colours blue and white around the whole room. That was when I realised that the colours were those of the flag of Israel!

I felt the prompting to pray blessings over Israel, and that eventually led me to Psalms‬ ‭128:5-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬:

“May the Lord continually bless you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live. May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. May Israel have peace!”
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On the 28th of January, 2019, I was asking the Lord what to paint for the Heartbeat Project. Then, I saw a vision of a purple butterfly. I felt it strange to paint a butterfly as I thought the project is about babies. Out of curiosity, I googled the meaning behind a “purple butterfly”. To my surprise, I found out that if any incubator has a purple butterfly logo on it, it actually means that the baby is one of a set of multiples in which one or more babies were lost.

Thus, I started the painting with 3 main colours- Blue, White and Purple. In my vision, I saw a purple butterfly in a “crystal ball” against a background of blue and white.

This painting intends to bring out hope and courage to live through the toughest time. This is especially for those who have lost one or more babies in a set of multiples during a pregnancy or at birth.

The purple butterfly inside the “crystal ball” is a memorial of a death of an unborn child inside the amniotic sac. The colour of Israel’s flag is also a reminder to us of God’s promises and faithfulness to us.

John 16

Reflection on John 16

“At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”
‭‭John‬ ‭16:23-24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Whatever that we use in Jesus Name, God will answer. God delights in us and grant us abundant joy!

Application:
Don’t be afraid to ask God! He will answer them according to His Will.

Follow-Up Actions and Questions For and Before God:
Jesus, this year, I cry out for more of Your harvest and true disciples of Jesus to rise up. Revival is right where we are because Jesus You are here. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

John 15

Reflection on John 15

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We are the chosen ones! Wow. Anything that we asked in Jesus Name, God will answer.

Application:
This is such an awesome promise that God has given us.

Follow-up Questions and Actions For and Before God:
What are the lasting fruits that I am called to produce?
May the Lord help me to fulfil His plans and purpose for my life.

John 14

Reflection on John 14

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a comfort to know that the Holy Spirit grant us a peace of mind and heart.

Application:
In this generation, the number of people with mental illnesses have increased significantly. What is something that we might have missed out from this promises that God has given us?

Follow-up Questions and Actions For and Before God:

ABBA Father, You see and know the needs of this generation and I pray that everyone who has received You as their Lord and Savior will cling on to Your promises that You have given them a peace of mind and heart. Let not the world create chaos within them. I pray that even in the midst of chaos, peace be still within their souls. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

John 13

Reflection on John 13

“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”
‭‭John‬ ‭13:14-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus, the King above all kings humbled himself to wash the feet of the disciples. There is no job too low that we cannot do. I see this as an act of servant leadership. Jesus has set an example for us to follow.

Application:
Who am I that I should see myself higher than anyone else? Always walk in humility and serve others first.

Follow-up Actions and Quesions  for and Before God:

Jesus, thank You for sharing the example of humility and servant leadership by first leading Yourself to wash the feet of the disciples. No job is too lowly that I can not do. Help me to walk in humility always and serving others first. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen

John 12

Reflection on John 12

“Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.”
‭‭(John‬ ‭12:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

In this passage, Mary had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus raising her brother-Lazarus up from the dead. Once again, it is our intimacy with God that matters. Wiping his feet with her hair was an act of humility and using the most expensive perfume was an act of offering and worship. Is my relationship with God as intimate as Mary?

Application:
I want to have such intimacy with Jesus!

Follow-up Question and Actions for and before God:
1) What is something that meant the most to me that I am willing to lay it down at the foot of the Cross and as an act of worship unto Him?

Lord, may I come humbly before You each day, heart full of gratitude to all that You have done in my life. You are so good and faithful 💜

John 11

Reflection on John 11

“When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house.”
‭‭John‬ ‭11:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” So Mary immediately went to him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭11:28-29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
‭‭John‬ ‭11:32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

1) It’s okay not to be okay.
Mary was grieving and her first response to Jesus was to ignore Him when he came to visit them. When she finally went to Jesus, she let out her emotions to Him. Yet, Jesus still show compassion upon her.

2) Go to Jesus even when you’re grieving
Mary immediately went to Jesus after hearing that He was looking for her. She could have still choose to stay at the grave and not move. Sometimes when we focus too much on the pain, we fail to see the miracles of what God can do. It’s either we choose to go to Jesus first or continue to stay at the place of pain.

Application:
It is okay to tell God everything that you feel. Even before you utter any words, He already know how you are feeling. It is your relationship with God that matters. Always choose to go to Jesus first rather than staying put at the place of pain and missed His miracles.

Follow-up Questions and Actions for and before God:
Jesus, thank You for Your loving kindness. Even when we have no rights to be angry/upset, You still choose to look at us with such love and compassion. May we not lose sight of You and always choose to run to You first no matter what we are feeling. Amen