June 24, 2008 IOW This one I missed last week, here it is :)
“By perseverance the snail reached the ark,” Charles Spurgeon
When you think of the story of the ark what comes to mind is Noah working hard on building the boat God instructed him to build. In the meantime, in the background are two of all the animals selected to come on board. Buzzing around Mrs. Noah’s head are the mosquitoes waiting their boat ride. Off to the side we can see the elephants and giraffes eating off the trees that soon would be gone. Hanging around close by are the snails, slugs, and ladybugs all in line ready to go up that ramp two by two.
It’s easy to picture all the animals ready to go but we often overlook the journey they had to take to get there. Noah wasn’t just taking all the local animals in the neighborhood. There were ones that had to come to him from afar. As soon as he started on the ark they probably started their journey to make their designated boarding time. The monkeys, leopards, jaguars arriving quickly but the journey of the snail, slug, ladybug, turtles, and other slower animals took time and patience mixed with a great deal of perseverance.
Inch by inch they had only one destination and that was to get to the ark. They couldn’t waste their time looking at the animals that was passing them by, they had to continue with THEIR journey no matter how long or slow the process was.
Our journey to Heaven via our relationship with Jesus Christ is no different than the scene that took place at the ark. Arriving quickly in their walk are the Christians that seem to have the journey down pat. On their way passing by the slower ones that find themselves taking the journey inch by inch.
No matter if we are the jaguars or the ladybugs, the leopards or the slugs, the monkey or the snails the journey for all of us requires perseverance. The determination and steadfastness it takes to keep on going when Satan would like to see us miss our “boarding time.” Distracting us all together that we may not only come in late but we wind up in a totally different destination than originally planned.
What is awesome about this whole thing is the fact that the ark wasn’t going to leave without the snail and God won’t leave without us if we so choose to take the journey with Him. However, the ark would have left without the snail if it didn’t do its part in getting where it needed to be in order to go. We too can be left behind if we drag our feet and refuse to take the necessary steps to get where we need to be.
CLOSING THOUGHT: The race definitely doesn’t go to the swiftest, it goes to those willing to go till the finish line. We don’t have to all have been quick. There’s no shame in being slow what matters is the goal line we are reaching for, eternal life in Heaven with our Lord and Savior. The very one who patiently waited the arrival of those who were determined to come, persevering the journey, reaching the final goal. Once we get there we won’t find Him standing there with a stopwatch in His hand but His hands open wide welcoming home those choosing to come.
Copyright 2008 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
“By perseverance the snail reached the ark,” Charles Spurgeon
When you think of the story of the ark what comes to mind is Noah working hard on building the boat God instructed him to build. In the meantime, in the background are two of all the animals selected to come on board. Buzzing around Mrs. Noah’s head are the mosquitoes waiting their boat ride. Off to the side we can see the elephants and giraffes eating off the trees that soon would be gone. Hanging around close by are the snails, slugs, and ladybugs all in line ready to go up that ramp two by two.
It’s easy to picture all the animals ready to go but we often overlook the journey they had to take to get there. Noah wasn’t just taking all the local animals in the neighborhood. There were ones that had to come to him from afar. As soon as he started on the ark they probably started their journey to make their designated boarding time. The monkeys, leopards, jaguars arriving quickly but the journey of the snail, slug, ladybug, turtles, and other slower animals took time and patience mixed with a great deal of perseverance.
Inch by inch they had only one destination and that was to get to the ark. They couldn’t waste their time looking at the animals that was passing them by, they had to continue with THEIR journey no matter how long or slow the process was.
Our journey to Heaven via our relationship with Jesus Christ is no different than the scene that took place at the ark. Arriving quickly in their walk are the Christians that seem to have the journey down pat. On their way passing by the slower ones that find themselves taking the journey inch by inch.
No matter if we are the jaguars or the ladybugs, the leopards or the slugs, the monkey or the snails the journey for all of us requires perseverance. The determination and steadfastness it takes to keep on going when Satan would like to see us miss our “boarding time.” Distracting us all together that we may not only come in late but we wind up in a totally different destination than originally planned.
What is awesome about this whole thing is the fact that the ark wasn’t going to leave without the snail and God won’t leave without us if we so choose to take the journey with Him. However, the ark would have left without the snail if it didn’t do its part in getting where it needed to be in order to go. We too can be left behind if we drag our feet and refuse to take the necessary steps to get where we need to be.
CLOSING THOUGHT: The race definitely doesn’t go to the swiftest, it goes to those willing to go till the finish line. We don’t have to all have been quick. There’s no shame in being slow what matters is the goal line we are reaching for, eternal life in Heaven with our Lord and Savior. The very one who patiently waited the arrival of those who were determined to come, persevering the journey, reaching the final goal. Once we get there we won’t find Him standing there with a stopwatch in His hand but His hands open wide welcoming home those choosing to come.
Copyright 2008 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
No comments:
Post a Comment