The Son

These aren’t my words, they were sent to me in an email by a friend. So I do not know where they came from. But they are truly beautiful words.

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The SON     

This is great, take a moment to read it, it will make your day!   

The ending will surprise you.   

  Take my Son   

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.   

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly… He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package. ‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.’

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. ‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?’

There was silence..

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’

But the auctioneer persisted. ‘Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’

Another voice angrily. ‘We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!

But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’  

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long time gardener of the man and his son. ‘I’ll give $10 for the painting…’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

‘We have $10, who will bid $20?’

‘Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son.

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’

A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.’

‘What about the paintings?’

‘I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!’

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?’

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHOSO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…THAT’S LOVE

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I thought of His oh so great love for us, my throat got tight.

What more can I say?

Blessings to you

Trish

Just a few random thoughts

It’s raining at the moment, not heavily, but it is rain and we need it badly. Also it is warm.

Thinking about how the ground needs the rain reminds me of how much we need the ongoing work of Holy Spirit in our lives. Not just now and again, but every single day. I know I certainly do.

Can’t get to church at the moment because of my physical problems so I get the notes, listen to recordings and hear the word of Adonai. It is a time of blessing, there is a richness in His word that is certainly not found in anything else.

Those two probably aren’t really all that random. Just I didn’t have a set topic when I decided to post.

Sha’ul (Paul) in his letter to the Philippians said that Yeshua (Jesus) emptied Himself and became a servant, or bondslave or His Father. He gave up all that He was, not in the sense that He ceased to be Who He was, and still is, but that He didn’t take hold of it and say, “Hey, I am God as well remember”. He simply submitted to the will of His Father.

Sha’ul tells us that we are to have this attitude in ourselves. We are to put Him first and not ourselves. His way and not our way, His will and not ours. And we are also to be servants.

Now that is a tricky concept for me at the moment in some ways. I have a great deal of trouble walking and sitting, so I cannot cook or clean. So how can I serve?

Prayer is one way and that is something I do not do nearly enough. I can encourage others, bless them. And I can remain steadfast in faith in the midst of everything that is happening. Just because my body is in a mess my heart and soul, my mind and spirit do not have to be.  

It’s raining, God’s word falls like dew and rain. I am blessed.

blessings in Yeshua’s wonderful name

 

Trish

*Philippians 2:5-7

Wow, is that in the Old Testament?

Actually, I knew it was, but so often we tend to think these things are only found in the New.

Okay, here it is.

This morning as part of my devotions I was reading Proverbs 20. The main part of my devotions was about knowing God and Him knowing us and our hearts. And Proverbs 20 talks in a round about way of the same things.

If we turn to Him He will cause us to know our hearts, because if we try to know our own without Him, how will we judge?

One direction will lead us into legalism, being too hard on oursleves, missing our own mark and coming under condemnation. The other direction is towards our justifying what we do for what ever reason we do it, we will excuse ourselves and think we are fine when we are caught in grevious sin. In other words, liberalism. So we need Him to show us how to measure our hearts. And the measure is the Messiah. But even here we have to be carefull and follow His leadings and rely on Holy Spirit and His power in us or we will again end up condemning ourselves.

He gives us ears to hear and eyes to see and if we will not hear or see as He wants us to, that is, if we are willing blind and deaf, He will make us blinder and deafer. Do you remember where it says He hardened the heart of the king of Egypt, well He did that only after the king had hardened his own heart.

It is not an easy way to walk but He gives us the power to do it, He guides our steps and gives us understanding of the way we are to walk. But remember to count the cost.

The most important thing however is that He searches our hearts so He can not only purge our sin but so He can know us and He wants us to know Him.

I have been speaking in the plural, but more than anything else I am speaking to myself.

                     To know Him, to know Him,
                      Is the cry of my heart,
                      Spirit, reveal Him to me.
                      To hear what He’s saying,
                      Is life to my bones,
                      To know Him, to know Him alone.

May our great God and Messiah, Yeshua, bless you today and each day.

Trish

God is good, no matter what happens

Had a visit to the doctor last Friday. The underlying problem is a long standing one, but it is getting worse. I may need to have more surgery which may not work or might make things worse. And on top of that I also have breathing problems related to my condition.

All in all a situation for worry and tears and what ever else.

Not so! It is for me a time of faith and rest in God. I know that many, many people are praying for me. I know that God is good and that He loves me.

So when I am in pain at night and sing songs speaking of the goodness of God, my faith is lifted, my spirit and heart rejoice in Him.

The apostle Paul and many others found this, I know I am finding it. Contentment with joy, no matter what the circumstances.

God is good to me,
O what love I see,
Jesus as a Lamb was slain.

He delivered me,
Cleansed and set me free,
Lord of all, He rose again.

Now I live,
Yet not I,
Jesus is alive in me.

Sending the Spirit’s flame,
Showers of latter rain,
God has poured His love on me.

My times are in His hands, I can rest secure no matter what happens.

Blessings to you all

Trish