Artist Statement: The imagery and title of this piece is inspired by Psalm 60:2, “Lord, You made the land quake. You split it wide open. Heal the cracks in it because it is falling apart.” It appears as if everything was crumbling around King David. The first pair of verses blends complaint and prayer, in each of which there is, first, a description of the desperate state of Israel, and then a cry for help. In verse 1 David pleads for the Lord to “restore us,” and then in verse 2 to “heal its cracks.” Using earthquake imagery to illustrate that the nation is broken, David proclaims that the land trembles, and then cracks open. In the midst of a crushing time, David is calling upon God for restoration. David is asking the Lord to mend them as a broken body needs healing. They are in need of God to make them whole.
There are parallels today in our own land. Our environment, government, and cultural values have all been shaken and cracked open. Many are truly concerned about the condition of our land, and like David, are asking God to heal the cracks that are appearing. It seems that 2 Chronicles 7:14 is as relevant today as it was in King Solomon’s time: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.