Here’s something that Uncle Butch emailed to me the other day. I kind of got a kick out of this, and as it turned out, it got me thinking about things and it soon became clear to me why God wanted me to see it.
A man was driving to an important meeting and was running late. He finally pulled into the parking lot only to find that it was completely full. He began to pray, “Please God, please let me find a parking spot!” He continued to pray fervently as he searched the lot, until he rounded a corner and there, right in front of him, was an empty spot. “Never mind God,” he said as he parked his car, “I found one.”
I got a good chuckle out of that, but it’s like Uncle Butch said, it’s a joke, but it’s not really a joke. I guess this would be like me praying for God to restore my sight, and then saying “Never mind God, I got this insurance policy to take care of it.” Maybe God wants me to get an insurance policy and have surgery. I struggled with that concept for a long time. I felt like pursuing an insurance policy was showing a lack of faith in God. And maybe it is. To tell you the truth, I’m still struggling with it. What I finally decided is that there’s no real harm in trying to get the insurance, as long as I remember to keep my faith in God, where it belongs. If God wants me to see again, then I will see again. Getting some insurance so I can have a surgery might be the way God chooses to do it. Who am I to say?
How often does God try to answer our prayers and we don't even realize it? Maybe God prompts a family member to offer us money in a tight spot, and we are too proud to accept. Or maybe He provides an opportunity to get some overtime at work, but we are too lazy, or think we are too busy. Maybe a friend shows an interest in our baseball card collection, but we are too attached to our possessions. God is trying to help us all the time. Sometimes we just don't like His suggestions.
I’m reminded of another story. Hold on, let me see if I can find a copy of it.
Well, I found a copy, but it was really long and wordy so I’m going to paraphrase:
A minister was caught in his church by a flood. He climbed to the roof of the building to escape the rising waters. Soon, one of his parishioners came by in a rowboat.
“Hop in, Pastor, and we’ll get to safety.”
“Go on ahead, my son. The Lord will save me.”
The flood waters continued to rise and soon were all the way up to the roof of the church. A police motorboat came by.
“We’ll throw you a line and get you to safety!”
“No thank you, the Lord will save me when the time is right."
The waters rose higher and higher and the minister was forced to climb up into the church’s bell tower to escape the flood. A coast guard helicopter spotted him.
“Don't panic, we'll lower a basket and lift you out of there!”
“Please help someone else, the Lord promised to protect me if I kept my faith in Him.”
The waters continued to rise and eventually swept the minister away.
The punch line of the story is that the minister went to heaven and askd God, “I kept my faith, why didn’t you save me?”
We’ve all heard the old saying, “Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.” Examining a horse’s teeth can tell you a lot about the age and condition of the horse. It’s a good idea to check if you are buying one, but if someone gives you a horse as a gift, it's better to just be thankful for the gift and not try to judge the gift’s value. I guess the same holds true with God. We don’t know what His plan is, and you just never know when that horse might be a gift from God.
Psalms 34:17-18 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Showing posts with label joke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joke. Show all posts
Friday, March 26, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Inspirations - Smoke Signals
Hi there, it’s me again. I’m glad you stopped by today, because I have something that I want to share with you. Every now and then, I go surfing around the ‘net, looking for inspirational stories, or just ideas for things I can talk about on my blog. I found a good one the other day, take a look.
“The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.”
I can definitely relate to that. My hut burned completely to the ground recently. I just hope someone saw the smoke!
Naturally, I get frustrated sometimes, wondering why God would allow my hut to catch fire. At first I was devastated because it seemed like everything I owned was in that hut. After awhile, however, I began to realize that not all of my things were in there, some of them were hidden in the jungle, nearly forgotten. In fact, I didn’t even know some of them were there. I did lose some of my stuff, though. Luckily, I have the greatest insurance agent in the universe! I admit, He can be harsh sometimes, deciding how valuable my possessions were, and which ones are worth replacing, but I’ve heard rumors that He can also be very generous, replacing the old useless things with brand new ones that are even better. It's almost like Christmas, waiting to see all the nice new things He wants to give me.
Okay, enough with the metaphors. Seriously, God puts us through some rough situations, and it’s hard to keep our eyes on the big picture. The big picture, of course, is God! As long as we keep our eyes on God, and trust Him, He will take care of us, no matter what trials and tribulations we are facing. Sometimes that means getting rid of the old junk we carry around with us, and replacing it with new, more useful stuff.
Incidentally, that story reminded me of one that Pastor Mike told us during his sermon one Sunday. It went something like this:
“A man had been shipwrecked on a deserted island for many months, when finally he was rescued. When the rescuers found the man, they discovered that he had been quite industrious.
“Wow, said one rescuer, you built three huts! What’s that one fore?” he asked, pointing to the first hut.
“That’s where I live.” Said the castaway.
“And what’s that one for?” asked another rescuer.
“That’s where I go to church.” Said the man.
“And what’s that third one for? Asked the first rescuer.
“That’s where I used to go to church.” He replied.”
I can’t remember exactly what Pastor Mike’s point was; I think it was something about commitment. How we always find it easier to find something new, rather than sticking with our old stuff and trying to fix it. It’s a good point, our society has become so disposable.
Well, that’s it. I’m going to go looking for more blog material. Thanks for listening.
2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
“The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.”
I can definitely relate to that. My hut burned completely to the ground recently. I just hope someone saw the smoke!
Naturally, I get frustrated sometimes, wondering why God would allow my hut to catch fire. At first I was devastated because it seemed like everything I owned was in that hut. After awhile, however, I began to realize that not all of my things were in there, some of them were hidden in the jungle, nearly forgotten. In fact, I didn’t even know some of them were there. I did lose some of my stuff, though. Luckily, I have the greatest insurance agent in the universe! I admit, He can be harsh sometimes, deciding how valuable my possessions were, and which ones are worth replacing, but I’ve heard rumors that He can also be very generous, replacing the old useless things with brand new ones that are even better. It's almost like Christmas, waiting to see all the nice new things He wants to give me.
Okay, enough with the metaphors. Seriously, God puts us through some rough situations, and it’s hard to keep our eyes on the big picture. The big picture, of course, is God! As long as we keep our eyes on God, and trust Him, He will take care of us, no matter what trials and tribulations we are facing. Sometimes that means getting rid of the old junk we carry around with us, and replacing it with new, more useful stuff.
Incidentally, that story reminded me of one that Pastor Mike told us during his sermon one Sunday. It went something like this:
“A man had been shipwrecked on a deserted island for many months, when finally he was rescued. When the rescuers found the man, they discovered that he had been quite industrious.
“Wow, said one rescuer, you built three huts! What’s that one fore?” he asked, pointing to the first hut.
“That’s where I live.” Said the castaway.
“And what’s that one for?” asked another rescuer.
“That’s where I go to church.” Said the man.
“And what’s that third one for? Asked the first rescuer.
“That’s where I used to go to church.” He replied.”
I can’t remember exactly what Pastor Mike’s point was; I think it was something about commitment. How we always find it easier to find something new, rather than sticking with our old stuff and trying to fix it. It’s a good point, our society has become so disposable.
Well, that’s it. I’m going to go looking for more blog material. Thanks for listening.
2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
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