Underneath

One of the things Bunny and I love to do on vacation is to visit old churches and old cemeteries. The Huguenot Cemetery in St Augustine is a favorite. The gravestones are old, dating back to the late 1700's. They are also ornate and the pinnacle of the craftsman's art at the time. Every single person who carved the stones is long dead.

They went to work each day, used their talents and skills to the best of their ability and hopefully pleased their customers, providing some comfort perhaps in their time of grief. In the cemetery there are stones that are well preserved like this one, and others that you cannot read at all, as time and the elements have erased the stone-carver's efforts.

I guess that's what drove me to take this picture - I can identify with that.

As a pastor, I'm giving everything I can to the work of God through New Hope Baptist Church. While I was on "vacation" I was still thinking about New Hope - praying that Sunday would go well, having certain people come to mind as I saw things in St Augustine, praying each day for others along the way. Having done everything I could take make sure Sunday without the Wilson family would "work", all I could do then was trust God.

But then that's all I can do everyday.

I can encourage. I can even inspire. I can teach God's Word. I can serve in any area needed, from worship leadership to setting up tables and cook the midweek meal. I can lead in prayer and by example. I can be there to cry with people and rejoice with them. I can love them.

But I can't... make them want more of God or more for their church. I can't.

I guess that's what bothers me, underneath.