Posted on 01/03/2002 11:19:13 AM PST by ArGee
A very rich man decided that he wanted to show kindness to the people of the fair city where he lived. Since he was very rich indeed, he decided to throw a banquet for the entire city. He rented the largest sports arena in the city and began his plans. He planned for huge amounts of the best food possible, making allowances for every religious and medical diet. He advertised the banquet in every possible manner - television, radio, billboard, door-to-door canvassing. Considering that there might be some who could not travel, he arranged for free bus transportation to and from the event, and some special-needs vehicles for all who could not ride busses. He even scheduled the banquet to run for 24 hours a day for several days so that everyone could be sure of being served.
He planned long and hard and finally the big day came. The rich man ate quickly and then went about wishing all his guests well and personally making sure that all had every need met. After a while he went outside to tour the grounds and talk with those who had not yet gone in, and those who had already left. Everyone was happy. Many were profusely thankful. It was a glorious occasion.
At one point the rich man noticed a group of people sitting outside a locked door with most unpleasant looks on their faces. Sensing they were not happy, he went over to them. He did not introduce himself but simply asked them if he could be of service.
"We want to go in through this door," one of them replied.
The rich man explained to them that the hall was arranged to feed a large number of people as quickly and effortlessly as possible. This required order inside, and the entrances and exits had been carefully planned to be as efficient as possible. He then offered to go call one of the golf carts that were avaialbe to help people who could not walk far to take them to the entrance. But the man replied, "We do not want to go in the entrance. We want to go in this door. We don't understand why we can't go in any door we wish. We think the man who set this banquet up is mean and hateful for insisting we go in through the entrance. He has tried to bill himself as a very kind man by offering this banquet, but he is not kind at all if he will not indulge us and let us go through this door.
The rich man was distressed at these words, but still attempted to please these people. He tried once more to explain to them what was behind this particular door, and how if they went in this door they would disrupt the meal service being offered inside. He offered to drive them himself, not only to the door, but inside the hall to their tables if they would only go through the entrance to enjoy the meal. Again the man said, "No, but only a hateful man would keep us from going through the door of our choosing. And we will sit here and tell anyone who will listen to us what an awful man he is until he lets us in."
At that the rich man was enraged and he shouted, "Enough." Then he called a police officer to have them thrown off of the property and ordered that they not be allowed to return until the banquet was over and all the scraps had been hauled away. Then, mourning for their loss, he turned to visit with other guests.
Agreement? No. Understanding? Maybe.
My son turns 18 today. We set up an UGMA account for his college savings when he was young. As of now he doesn't plan to go to college. By law, he has access to all that money. There is nothing we can do about it. He can use the money to offset college tuition, or he can go buy a car. In my eyes he is still a child, and of course he is still my son. But the law says it's up to him.
We've done everything we can to make sure he knows how to choose well. Now the choice is before him. He is free to choose. I will tell him as often as I can that he should choose well, and he can always ask my advice. But the choice is his.
In the same way G-d has done quite a bit to let you know that He loves you and that the best choice you can make is to enter into a relationship with Him. You can deride the effort by calling them "fairy tails about hell" if you want, but I know better. He has even died to get your attention.
Deuteronomy 30:19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.He calls heaven and earth as witnesses. If you like, when you face him, you can appeal to those witnesses and claim that He didn't give you enough reason to choose correctly. G-d's own law has stated:
15 One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.Therefore, I'm sure if heaven and earth come on your side, G-d will follow His own law.
Now you understand me. I believe G-d has given you every chance. I also believe you are an adult, although a child in the eyes of G-d. I believe the choice is fully yours and you will bear the responsibility for the consequences.
I think I understand you. You don't believe that G-d should give you the opportunity to make a bad decision. You believe that He should treat you like you don't have the mental capacity to make such an important choice. I suppose I could pray that He will grab you by the neck and force you - kicking and screaming if need be - into Heaven. Would you like me to pray that way for you? (I know you don't believe in prayer, but you know I do.)
Shalom.
Not to pick on you, since I'm talking about myself, but that sentence is in the passive voice without identifying the active agent who did the burying or putting away. Would that agent have been you? ;)
I know in my case it would have been me.
Shalom.
OOOOOO-kay! (sidelong glance at the door)
I think I hear my wife calling me. I think I'll leave now.
Elsie, you might want to leave too. Don't make any sudden moves. Just follow me slowly and gently toward the door.
Shalom.
If we fail to make it, it will be as a result of our own choices, not because He gets annoyed with us and gives up on us.
stuartcr - "If they exist, I doubt I would even be able to recognize/comprehend them."
I believe the supernatural world has a MASSIVE impact on the natural world.
A Baptist minister watched the televised news of the flood with some concern. As the flood waters began to come up on his street he realized he had allowed himself to be cut off. So he knelt down and prayed, "Lord, deliver me from this flood." He believed he heard G-d answer him, "Do not be afraid. I will deliver you." Comforted, he got back up and returned to watching the news, unafraid that the flood would hurt him.
A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. Out on the street was a big four-wheeled truck. The man at the door said, "We're here to evacuate the neighborhood. Come with me and we'll take you to shelter." The minister said, "I don't need to go with you. The Lord Himself has promised to deliver me." The man argued for a few minutes, then gave up and went to see who else needed rescue.
Now the water was actually lapping at the door of the minister's house. He moved to the second story and again knelt to pray. "Lord, will You deliver me from this flood as You promised?" Again he heard G-d's clear reply, "Do not be afraid. I will deliver you." Comforted, the minister prepared to wait. Very soon he heard someone calling on a megaphone. He looked out the window and there was a man in a boat. The man hailed the minister and said, "Come on out and we'll take you to a shelter." The minister said, "I don't need your help. The Lord Himself has promised to deliver me." Again the man finally had to go on to see who else he could rescue.
Eventually the waters rose so high the minister had to move out on the roof. Again he prayed, "Lord, will You not deliver me from the flood as You have promised?" A third time he heard G-d's voice say, "Do not be afraid. I will deliver you." Almost immediately he heard the sound of a helicopter overhead. A man was being lowered down on a cable. The minister tried to wave him away but he kept coming. When he finally arrived the minister thanked him but insisted, "I don't need help. The Lord Himself will deliver me." As before, the helicopter finally had to go look for someone else to rescue.
The flood waters continued to rise and eventually swept the minister to his death.
In heaven, the minister came face to face with Jesus. "I don't understand, Lord. Three times I prayed, asking if you would deliver me, and three times you promised to deliver me. Why am I here?"
Jesus replied, "I sent you a four-wheeler, a boat, and a helicopter. I just couldn't figure out what you were waiting for."
Do you think, stuartcr, that it might have mattered to that minister how he perceived G-d?
Shalom.
If it's allowed, make sure you let me know what He says when you tell Him that.
Shalom.
Exactly! Because he had an image of G-d in his mind, he waited for G-d to move in the way he anticipated, and missed what G-d was really doing. If you set up an image that is wrong, you may miss it when G-d moves in your life.
Shalom.
Two reasons: 1) to love someone is to want to know Him better; 2) to be sure to see it when He moves.
It's not as if we have to figure Him out on our own. It's not as if He isn't willing to help us.
Shalom.
A simple but profound observation.
In context it means, "I am going to stomp on his foot. I think I'll add this little 'grin' shorthand so I can claim it was supposed to be taken lightly if he REALLY gets upset."
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