Posts from the ‘Parables’ Category

It is hard to hug from a wheelchair…

A little boy, named David, had come to the home with his kindergarten class. He stood in front of the old man who introduced himself. “My name is David.”
The little boy replied, “So is mine.”
The man’s eyes opened widely and his face shone as though ignited by a holy fire. “No way!” was all he could say.
He was answered with a nod.
The man began to tell his same-named visitor about life on the farm where he was born. The cows and pigs and chickens, and of course, the border collie Rowdy who not only herded the cows for milking, but rescued David and his older brother, Dennis, from snakes in the long grass.
The little David crept even closer as the story went on until big David said, “Would you like to sit on my knee?”
The little one said nothing, but climbed up on the senior’s lap. “May I put my arm around you?”
The little one nodded. The story paused.
“Thank you,” said the almost teary-eyed man. “You know, I haven’t had a hug for years, because when I’m in this wheelchair people can’t reach, and so they wave, or touch my hand. That is nice, but sometimes I just want to be lost in a hug.”
With no hesitation the little boy from kindergarten reached up and shared a hang-on-tight hug, settling his head upon the man’s shoulder, breathing gently.
It was only minutes later that the teacher came along and called David to rejoin the group of young students gathering at the front of the room. He slowly unwound from the hug, pausing to look the happy old man in the face. They exchanged smiles. Then David slid down from the wheelchair and headed for his classmates. Suddenly he stopped, turned, and stood looking at the man again as though a high-speed line of communication was transmitting between them.
The teacher called once again, and he turned as though he was leaving the world’s biggest candy store
The students turned into a choir and sang three songs, ended by short words of thanks from the sponsor and the teacher. As the little learners began to file out the door David split off from the queue and ran to the wheelchair David. He stopped and put a hand on each knee and looked up with sparkling eyes and beaming face at the man sitting there. The man placed each of his hands on the little limbs that were touching him.
The teacher called David to order, who gracefully turned to go, carrying with him a piece of the man’s heart, and leaving a piece of his to fill the gap.
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This I saw in a vision today, and I share it because of the wondrous things it says about our loving God.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

Our second daughter, as a newborn, would let no one carry her or comfort her except my wife. This went on for a little while and then I refused to let it go on any longer because my wife was wearing out. Besides, I was her Father.

So I picked her up. She screamed. After awhile it turned to crying. A little later it transformed into a whimper. Finally she went to sleep. After that I could care for her.

My wife and I with our 3 oldest Grandchildren, 2005

During this ordeal of behaviour modification my wife had to leave the house. A nursing Mother not only has an emotional reaction to her crying baby, but also a physical one.

I was just sitting here remembering that incident because a life event triggered a different memory, and this flashed into my mind afterwards.

It is for me a picture of how humans treat God. We complain when God reaches out to care for us, because we want it the way we want it and there is no compromise. So God performs a transformation to open our hearts to the mothering of our Creator, and it is sometimes an ordeal. (Imagine, we fight being cared for by the Creator of the universe Whose love transcends all limits!)

What my wife endured reminds me of how we look on at God working and we judge it and condemn it and blaspheme our dear Saviour because we do not understand what is going on, yet in our humanity we assume we are all-knowing and can stand in judgment against the eternal, just and infinitely fair Judge.

Parable of the Flower

The flower-of-the-hour grew happily at the side of the strawberry patch in my garden. Its buds began to swell as it joyfully prepared to show its beautiful white and red flowers.

But, then, a lawnmower came roaring down upon it. The buds were gone and the plant stood as only a fraction of its former self. Read more…

Holes in My Holiness

On January 10, 2017 we had our house examined and tested for energy use. We had done a good job on the insulation side. But…

When it came to the air exchange test major problems were exposed. There were such significant leaks in the house the tester could not even get to the recommended internal air pressure.

Now the natural gas supplier had already sent us a report saying we were using 216% more gas than the 100 houses around us. But we did not feel any significant discomfort and were comfortable with the warmth in the house.

We didn’t know what the problem was until the expert arrived and exposed the gigantic flaws in our house.

What a parable! Around me I see people who name Jesus and yet have no spiritual power, discernment, effectiveness or humility. Yet when a prophet speaks truth to call them back to servanthood and costly duty in serving that very Jesus, they not only refuse to hear, since their religion affirms their status, but they even destroy the prophet. (“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven! The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways” [Matthew 5:11-12 God’s Word©]).

Are you comfortable in your religion because you are used to a spiritual half-life? If you only interact with those who agree with you where is your growing edge?

Or are you plugging up the holes in your holiness?

7 Words Ringing

I was in a small American town to visit some friends. The pastor (though I didn’t know he was) tested my faith fairly strongly. Read more…

Rich, Richer, Richest

Is life comfortable with everything running smoothly? Then this is a time to fall humbly before God in thanksgiving and exercise faith to resist fleshly impulses. Don’t make the mistake of thinking “the good life” is where it’s at. Read more…

How a Computer Thinks Made Me Think

Some things about computers boggle the mind. If you type in a search it will correct spelling, change the order of words, anything to figure out what you want. Read more…

God and My Car

On July 19, 2013, I received the regular mailing from Anton Topilnyckyj. I felt it was worth sharing to a wider audience, and to bring attention to an important ministry which I am honoured to be a member of. Read more…

No Longer

Changing from one thing to the next chapter can be tiring, challenging or even scary. Doubts may creep in. Read more…

Rooms For Rent

It came to me that people wondering about God might be compared to someone looking for an apartment. Read more…