“And the ark of God remained with the family of O’bed-e’dom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of O’bed-e’dom, and all that he had.” (1Chronicles 13:14)
I know you’re probably wondering. Is this the portrait of black Jesus J.J. painted on “Good Times?” Well, not exactly. Let me tell you my testimony of how little black Jesus ended up in our home.
Ever since this portrait showed up in our home, there have been signs and wonders, prophetic dreams and help from heaven to assist me. It wasn’t the color of the portrait that entered our home, it was the spirit on the portrait that entered our home because his color can’t save us, the Holy Spirit can through Jesus Christ.
After my husband and I got married, we fixed up his parents’ house in the neighborhood where he grew up. Everyone loved my husband, “Big Dude” and the neighbors were an awesome community, loving, caring and sharing with one another. The neighborhood was predominantly black. There was a church house on our block, and a loving family called the Verheuls, occupied its space. And guess what? They were all white! I know I was as shocked as you were when you saw their picture, but they were the best white family I’d ever met in my entire life! The church house was a house for the pastor, his wife and kids to live in while pastoring at a local neighborhood community church.
After serving the community for over 25 years, pastor Stan and Judy Verheul decided they’d pack up and head back home to grand ole Michigan. They had so much stuff, they simply couldn’t take it all with them. So, they decided to have a rummage sell giveaway.
This day, my sister, the witch, happened to show up at my house. She saw a sign informing the neighbors to come and get what they wanted for free. And when you tell black folks something is free, you get blacks from all over coming to your venue. I was not interested in going to the rummage giveaway, but the witch insisted we go because she wanted to be nosey. So, off we went to Verheul’s giveaway. The window for the giveaway was narrowing down. We had only ten minutes to browse. I really didn’t see anything I wanted except the cat trap I picked up to catch the dozens of cats at my daycare house who were taking over my backyard due to the neighbor feeding them.
As I turned to leave, I spotted this peculiar portrait leaning up against the brick wall surrounded by all types of shelves, books and tools. My eyebrows furrowed. I wondered what a portrait of little black Jesus was doing in someone’s backyard at a rummage giveaway. Little black Jesus looked lonesome. And out of all the neighbors who came to pick and choose what they wanted, nobody wanted little black Jesus. I guess it was taboo to have a portrait of black Jesus in your home. He looked at me with those powerful eyes, and I looked at him. The Holy Spirit said, “Take me with you.” I didn’t hesitate or give it a second thought. I stepped over the spilled over tools, books and small appliances and grabbed little black Jesus. I smiled as I held the portrait up in the air. Something inside of me leaped. The witch frowned. She knew she was in hot grits and gravy. There’s an old saying, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” And although little black Jesus wasn’t junk, he needed a new home.
I was on my way out the gate when Pastor Verheul said, “LaTanya, I knew you were going to get that portrait.” I said, “Yeah, how’d you know?” He said, “That portrait was for you. Everyone else overlooked it but not you.” “How did you get this picture?” I asked. He told me he used to pastor a predominately black church in Detroit Michigan in the 70’s. A young man painted it for him to hang up in the church. Now, it was time for little black Jesus to have a new home. I thanked pastor Verheul for the portrait and went home. I brushed the dust off the wood, polished it with some oil and ever since little black Jesus showed up with the Holy Spirit, miracles, prophetic dreams and blessing have been happening. They turned our world right side up.
And so began my journey with the Lord blessing me and showing me how to erect an altar to minister to him, helping me fight against the evil powers of darkness and my sister, who is a high priestess on an evil altar in our bloodline. The Holy Spirit had to show me I was a priestess on a righteous altar. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation. God’s special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1Peter 2:9). Those of us who are in Christ Jesus is his royal family. I’ve been praising and ministering to God ever since.
