God Speaks
Billboards |
| Tell the kids I love them. -God |
| Let's meet at my house Sunday before the game. -God |
| C'mon over and bring the kids. -God |
| What part of "Thou Shalt Not..." didn't you understand? -God |
| We need to talk. -God |
| Keep using my name in vain,
I'll make rush hour longer. -God |
| Loved the wedding, invite me to
the marriage. -God |
| That "Love Thy
Neighbor" thing... I meant it. -God |
| I love you and you and you and
you and... -God |
Will the road you're on get you
to my place?
-God |
| Follow me. -God |
| Big bang theory, you've got to
be kidding. -God |
My way is the highway.
-God |
| Need directions? -God |
You think it's hot here?
-God |
| Have you read my #1 best
seller? There will be a test. -God |
Do you have any idea where
you're going?
-God |
| Don't make me come down there.
-God |
|
| Home
> Looking Upward |
Looking Upward
Inspirational Resources |
| GOD
WON'T ASK |
| God won't ask what kind of car
you drove, but He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation. |
| God won't ask the square
footage of your house, but He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home. |
| God won't ask about the clothes
you had in your closet, but He'll ask how many you helped to clothe. |
| God won't ask about your social
status; He will ask what kind of class you displayed. |
| God won't ask how many material
possessions you had, but He'll ask if they dictated your life. |
| God won't ask what your highest
salary was, but He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it. |
| God won't ask how much overtime
you worked, but He'll ask if your overtime work was for yourself or for your family. |
| God won't ask how many
promotions you received, but He'll ask how you promoted others. |
| God won't ask what your job
title was, but He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability. |
| God won't ask what you did to
help yourself, but He'll ask what you did to help others. |
| God won't ask how many friends
you had, but He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend. |
| God won't ask what you did to
protect your rights, but He'll ask what you did to protect the rights of others. |
| God won't ask in what
neighborhood you lived, but He'll ask how you treated your neighbors. |
| God won't ask about the color
of your skin, but He'll ask about the content of your character. |
| God won't ask how many times
your deeds matched your words, but He'll ask how many times they didn't. |
| God won't ask how many people
you forwarded this too, but He'll ask to how many people you didn't because you were too
ashamed. |
|
"The
Painting"
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 Viet Nam 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 his 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 someone bid for this painting?
Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily, "We
didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, 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 longtime 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." "$10 is the
bid, won't someone bid $20?" 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 a cruel
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.
--author unknown |
"The Presence of His Love"
The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive
young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps.
She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the
seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was
empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and
rested her cane against her leg.
It had been a year since Susan, 34, became blind. Due to a medical
misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly
thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity.
Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this
terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on
everyone around her.
"How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart
knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or
prayed, she knew the painful truth her sight was never going to
return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic
spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration
and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all of his
heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into
despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and
confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark's military
background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations,
and yet he know this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.
Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get
there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get
around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work
each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At
first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his
sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest
task.
Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working -
it was hectic, and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the
bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning
it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How
would she react?
Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the
bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to
know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning me."
Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be
done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride
the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of
it. And that is exactly what happened.
For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied
Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her
other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was
and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the
bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made
her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting
the bus, or drop her briefcase.
Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a
cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly
and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter
of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. He
believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost her
sight, who wasn't afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever
quit.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own.
Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms
around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her
best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty,
his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time,
they went their separate ways.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday . . . each day on her own went
perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was
going to work all by herself!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was
paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure
envy you."
Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After
all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled
just to find the courage to live for the past year?
Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"
The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and
protected like you are."
Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked
again, "What do you mean?"
The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a
fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across
the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you
cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your
office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute
and walks away. You are one lucky lady."
Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she
couldn't physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She
was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than
sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love
that can bring light where there had been darkness.
God watches over us in just the same way. We may not know He is
present. We may not be able to see His face, but He is there
nonetheless! Be blessed in this thought: "God Loves You - even when
you are not looking." |
| Home
> Looking Upward |
|
Thought
To Consider |
| To reduce spiritually, simply
close your Bible |
Stories...
(listed below) |
|
