| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church pastordan@mtida.net So, I'm sitting there minding my own business, and a chipmunk pokes his head up the cuff of my britches. I (not knowing what it was) jerked away, and scared the expletive out of him/her. I then purposed not to jerk again, to see what it would do. I went back into the camper and got some deluxe lemon filled Oreos. After taking them apart, I generously ate the half with the lemon cream, and broke the bare half into three pieces. I put one on the toe of my shoe, and waited. It didn't take long. The little outfit showed up and took the cookie piece. But rather than running off with it, he perched on my foot and ate it. He glanced at me every few seconds, but not to see if he was in danger, I rather thought it was to acknowledge or even thank me. He wandered off, and I repeated the procedure. The little rodent drums must have been wailing, cause there were soon four of them, and I had cookie pieces on both feet. After a while, I held a piece between my fingers about eight inches off the ground just to see, and --- sure enough, without any hesitation, one gently took the treat. Now I'm hooked. I have them running across the campsite, making a beeline for me w/out regard for any danger. I go back into the camper and get a slice of potato bread. "This time", I think to myself, "I'll hold it on my lap and make them climb up here to take it". They do. The first sat there biting off pieces of crust and eating them. Then he started filling his cheeks - first one side, then the other, till he risked being a little nose heavy, then ran to his domicile. The next ate for a few seconds then found my finger. He examined it closely, made eye contact with me, then put his mouth on my finger. He scraped his bottom teeth across my skin, never even close to a bite, and went back to the bread. Some may think me corny for finding God in little experiences like these, but let's risk it and turn the Spiritual Switch: Is it a valid comparison to liken these rodents and me to man and God? No. It isn't even close. "As far as the heavens are above the earth, His thoughts are above our thoughts, and His ways are above our ways." and "How unsearchable are your ways Oh God". Still, some points to ponder. Why weren't these little creatures terrified of me? Did they not know how easily I could crush them? Why, the second the one put his teeth to me, did I not react defensively, and mortally wound him. What made them overcome an innate sense of terror in my presence? Do you see God as something/someone who is waiting for an excuse to hurt you? Your picture of Him says more about your relationship with Him than His nature. Do you realize He has something - a gift that can be found nowhere else, and is treasured above everything else in eternity? Something not available to the angels? Do you realize that just as I was only there for a couple of hours, Jesus says: "Today is the day of salvation", and "seek the Lord while He may be found". Our life is but a vapor in time - shorter by contrast to eternity than the brief encounter I had with my new friends. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the name of The Lord shall be saved" Romans 10:13. If I am capable of falling in love with some rodents, Do you not think your Heavenly Father can love you? If not, I'd love to visit with you. God bless. |
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