contest: win this painting by commenting!!!

COMMENT ON THIS POST AND BE ENTERED INTO A DRAW TO WIN THIS ORIGINAL PAINTING OF MINE, WATERCOLOR 4″x4″. CONTEST CLOSES SUNDAY MIDNIGHT MY TIME! This painting depicts a place of solitude, surrender and serenity. These three things are what I feel are most missing in the lives of many pastors today. When do pastors spend time alone with the Lord to nourish their own inner spiritual lives and their relationship with God? How many pastors surrender to the will of God for them, even if it requires hardships, struggle, suffering and pain? How many pastors live serene lives… serene in their own hearts, particularly? I must admit, as a pastor, as a Christian… no! even as a human being, I am far from these three things. Much of the material I read for pastors and churches is not about solitude, but getting out there and affecting the crowds, the needy, the broken. I agree in ministry to all people, but not at the cost of solitude. Even Jesus found time in the desert to be alone with God. It was his habit! Lots of the advice I get is not about surrender, but about being victorious, taking control, handling the situation. I agree that we shouldn’t assume the role of victim, but at some point we need to recover the kind of surrender Jesus lived and died with. And what about church life and pastoral ministry is serene? I agree that we need to be working, laboring, sowing and harvesting. But what about the serenity? Where’s the peace? I’m praying that Haggard and his family will find a safe place of solitude, surrender and serenity. I pray that for my wife and I and our children. I pray that for our church, and for the church throughout the world, and all people. Read Hebrews 4: 10, 11: “for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.” We’ve got it backwards. Today we say, “Work hard, then you’ll get the rest you deserve!” The Lord says, “Rest, and out of your rest will flow rivers of living water!“