Here is a repost of a painting called “The other side” that. I started it in 2004. It took until 2007 to get it all finished up.  I only have this video, but it is pretty nice to see it up close. If you have a current version of QuickTime on your computer (and you are NOT using Firefox on a PC) you can press the link below and watch it. This 24″ x 48″ oil painting is the biblical scene when Peter comes to shore after fishing all night long with nothing to show for his efforts. When he gets close to shore, a man standing on the shore tells him to give it another try, but on the far side of the boat. Peter is tired and has been at this all night long, but gives in and does what he knows will not yield anything. He is surprised to see that he was wrong about it and then recognizes that it is his friend Jesus that has told him this.

Some days, we just do what you are trained to do.  Sometimes we are told to do differently. Against their better judgment, Peter did do what Jesus asked of him, but I am sure that they had a discussion beforehand that went something like “Well, we are the fishermen here, but if we need to toss our net over the edge of the boat again to get you to shut your mouth…” and with a “ugggh” and a toss, the net was in the water. What would YOU have done? When do you feel that God is asking you to go or do something against your better judgment?

This painting shows the provision of the provider when we think we have nothing to gain in giving it an extra go… even when Spirit compels us to keep going. Press on! I was commissioned to create this painting to show that sometimes the provision of God is just below the surface and also that he always knows where it will come from before we are nudged to act upon his Call. Peter had done everything right – all night long – and he was tired form doing the right thing with NO result. Jesus came to them to say “Keep it up”. Sometimes it seems absurd to do what you think is the “right thing”, but I have found that to keep pressing in is often the thing that is needed… that which needs to be done in order to get to the tipping point, to cause the equilibrium to go your way, to cause status quo to be not good enough. Life is hard work if we want to accomplish much or even SEE much in this world. It is always easier to “go with the flow” and just sit on a raft and float to the end of the river. I am never satisfied with this for very long. Rest and solitude is good and important for us, but real LIFE is hard work… and rewarding.