A Good Story....
I think that I have heard this one before,
but it bear repeating.
TRUE STORY....
AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH'S PASTOR
SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A
GUEST INISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING. IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE
PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST
CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE
CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.
WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO
THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO
SPEAK.
"A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF
HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE
THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO
TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING
SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY. THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,
"GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER
HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY HE
WOULD THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE. HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE
DECISION. THE FATHER KNEW THATHIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE ALSO KNEW THAT HIS
SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT. THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE
TORRENT OF WAVES. "AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!' HE THREW
OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.
BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT,
HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.
HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED."
BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE
PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD
MINISTER'S MOUTH.
"THE FATHER," HE CONTINUED,
"KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR
THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.
THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. HOW GREAT IS THE
LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US.
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE
SAVED. I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE
LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE."
WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE
FILLED THE ROOM.
THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE
PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.
WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED,
THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.
"THAT WAS A NICE STORY," POLITELY STATED ONE OF THE BOYS,
"BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY
SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN."
"WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT
THERE," THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE
BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE, HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKEDUP AT THE BOYS AND SAID,
"IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL
YOU THAT STORY GIVE ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUSTHAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE
UP HIS SON FOR ME.
YOU SEE --- I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND."
Take 60 seconds & give this a shot!
Let's just see Satan stop this one. All you do is
(1) simply say a small prayer for the person
who sent you this, (Father, God bless this person in whatever it is that you
know he or she may be needing this day!)
(2) Then send it on to five other people.
Within hours five people have prayed for
you, and you caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people. Then
sit back and watch the power of God work in your life for doing the thing that
you know He loves.
"Forgiveness allows your heart to be not only right, but
light."