parables and pearls
(AS FEATURED OVER THE BIOLA HOUR)
ROOTS OF LIFE Many o f you have seen the beautiful night blooming cactus which parades its glory and spreads its frag ran ce across the moonlit deserts o f N e w Mexico, Texas and Arizona. What is so fascinating is its secret life, which has an interesting spiritual parallel. Ben eath the su rface, buried deep in the sun-parched sands, there are enormous roots, shaped like turnips, many weigh ing from 60 to 125 pounds. E ach is a veritable reservoir which stores up enough nourishment to take care o f the plant over a two-year period o f drought. R egardless o f w eather conditions, the blooms and arom a are sure to pervade the desert each year, usually about the latter p art o f June. How f a r down do your roots go? * * * Some people carry their religion on their shoulders like a burden instead of in their hearts like a song. * * * A VO ICE FOR GOD While walking along a country road one day, a minister, who had been criticized by townspeople fo r always getting excited about the things o f Christ, saw a landslide in a gravel pit. Three men, all laborers, w ere buried alive. He shouted at the top o f his voice, calling fo r help. People in the community about a mile aw ay heard him and came running. It was in terest ing to note that no one blam ed him fo r his earnestness then. Yet he had used the same emphatic tone to warn sinners to “fle e from the w rath to come.” How inconsistent it is that some Christians will shout themselves hoarse at some sort o f a gam e, but when it comes to using their voices to praise the Lord, they are strangely silent. The P salm ist declared, “L e t us mag
n ify the L ord together.” Remember, God’s praises always sound best in concert. Have your harp tuned so that at any time you can burst fo rth in song and praise to the Lord. Often those whom we hear speak the least on earth are best known for their talk in Heaven. * * * LOOK A N D LIVE P erhaps you’ve seen the painting o f the stormy lake and the lone man row ing the small boat across the churn ing billows in a desperate struggle fo r his very life. The skies are dark and angry, with the exception o f a small r ift in the clouds where one lone star shines through. The man obviously has fixed his gaze upon this as his last hope fo r survival. The caption which the craftsm an has appropriately given, is as though the words came from the. sailor’s own lips, “I f I lose that, I ’m lost.” What a picture fo r us in these busy and fru strating days in which we live! The storms o f life thrash all about us yet God has told us to look up i f we would desire unm istakable direc tions fo r this pilgrim journey. This is why we are told to be “looking unto Jesu s, the author and finisher o f our fa ith .” Shallow minds like shallow waters are easily ruffled. * * * LISTEN, SON Listen, Son, I ’m saying this to you as you lie asleep, one little hand crum pled under your cheek and the curls still wet on your damp, dirty little forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. Ju st a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my p ap er in the living * * * * * *
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