Treasure of Surrender
Date: November 17th, 2024
Cost: $500
Canvas: 24” x 30”
Today, Doug taught on tithing (giving God a tenth of our income) as a spiritual practice to keep your mind free from the evil spirit of Mammon (money); tithing only works when it’s done from the heart, not begrudgingly under obligation, and not in a calculated way to force God by Old Testament law to make you rich. Tithing simply makes it real (to our mind) that everything is God’s.
So, in the morning before church, I read the scriptures Doug gave me as a guide–Genesis 14 (Abraham tithed to Melchizedek) and Matthew 6:19-24 (Jesus’ instruction to, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”) Suddenly, I have this series of thoughts: my greatest treasure is, in fact, my heart itself…hmm…ok…so, I imagine myself reaching up to heaven…overwhelmed with joy…giving my literal heart (out of my chest) to Jesus. Then, I see God, on the cross, giving me his life…his own heart…his most sacred treasure. Finally, I see Jesus and I putting our hearts into each other’s chests! Wow, wild!
Once in front of the canvas, I was a bit hesitant to paint such a raw image. But, just as I grabbed my paint brush everyone happened to be singing, “...a new song inside my chest...” (Thanks, Holy Spirit!) Later on, Doug (‘coincidencidentally’) said, Abraham, in tithing of his treasure, was aligning his heart with God’s. Yes, two hearts in alignment. Beautiful. By letting go, Abraham freed his hands to receive the limitless treasure of God’s own heart…pulsing with wild adventure…infinite surrender…