The Ant and The Contact Lens
a true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona
Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took hold of the rope, and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens.
Well, here she is, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there.
Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset! , so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.
When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.
She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth."
She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."
Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" ! ; Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on it's back.
Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll! carry it for You."
I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will."
God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)
As received via forwarded email from Dee Dorofee 6/04/04
Bible Funnies!!
Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married?
A. Ruthless.
Q. What do they call pastors in Germany?
A. German Shepherds.
Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah. He was floating his stock while everyone else was in
liquidation.
Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.
Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's
Triumph was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.
Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.
Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.
Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.
Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?
A. The area around Jordan. The banks were always overflowing.
Q. Who is the greatest baby sitter mentioned in the Bible?
A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.
Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.
Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark?
A. Because Noah was standing on the deck.
Submitted 11/11/03 by Carol Crosby via e-mail
”Just PUSH”
A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin.
The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind:
“You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.”
Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.
”Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough.” And that is what he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.
”Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in Your service, putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”
The Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinew and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yes, you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise you faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock.”
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him…..By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains.
”For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth……..” (Romans 1:16 KJV)
When everything seems to go wrong, just P.U.S.H! When the Job gets you down, just P.U.S.H! When people don’t react the way you think they should, just P.U.S.H! When your money is short and the bills are due, just P.U.S.H! When you want to curse them out for whatever the reason, just P.U.S.H! When people just don’t understand you, just P.U.S.H!
P.U.S.H=Pray Until Something Happens!!!!!Submitted 08/16/03, by Andrea Reneau
”Without Jesus”
What if Jesus had decided. That the price was way too high? And had come down from upon the Cross. Then we would pay The Ultimate Price. And for our sins we would forever die.
We wouldn’t have an advocate. Someone to stand between God and man. No friend in Jesus, our Brother. No hope of eternal life in the future. Only pain and chaos in the land.
Satan, then, would be our cruel king. Oh! What a terrible thought. That this whole world would be worse than it is. Oh! Thank Jesus; with His blood this whole world He bought.
Oh Yes! Thank Jesus, our Brother and Friend. Who died that we might not have an end. Who gave us His life on Calvary. Who rose again that we might be. Forever with Him in eternity.
By: Pat Lawson, submitted 06/21/03
”Perfection”
- PERFECT SALVATION
- The Lord is my Shepherd.
- PERFECT SATISFACTION
- I shall not want.
- PERFECT REST
- He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
- PERFECT REFRESHMENT
- He leadeth me beside still waters.
- PERFECT RESTORATION
- He restoreth my soul.
- PERFECT GUIDANCE
- He leadeth me in the path of righteousness.
- PERFECT PROTECTION
- I will fear no evil.
- PERFECT COMPANY
- Thou art with me.
- PERFECT PROVISION
- Thou preparest a table before me
- PERFECT CONSECRATION
- Thou annointest my head with oil.
- PERFECT JOY
- My cup runneth over
- PERFECT CARE
- Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
- PERFECT DESTINY
- I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
by J. Trelinger, as submitted to Prison Ministries, 06/14/03
”What is God Like?”
Naturally, since we live in Florida, we have lizards in our yard, and once in a while we have a lizard in the house. Most of them are similar in size to the green ones improperly called chameleons that we could buy at the county fair when we were young.
We also have a cat, Sancho, of whom I have been known to tell tall tales about beavers and alligators and other exploits. This story about Sancho and our lizards, however, is absolutely true. Honest. Cross my heart and hope to die if it isn’t.
I want to believe the only reason Sancho accepted my behavior rules about exploring our back yard is because he likes spending time with me, as any loyal dog/cat would. Actually, I think his motivation for exemplary behavior may be lizards.
When Sancho scrambles up a wall or into a bush to catch a lizard, he triumphantly carries it in his mouth to a small place in the dirt, or on the walk, or on the patio stones. There he lets it loose and plays with it. When it runs he chases and grabs it. When it does not run he slaps it with a paw to encourage it to run.
Once in a while Sancho finishes the ordeal by eating the lizard. More often he walks away when it doesn¹t move any more. (They are quite skilled at playing possum, however.)
But usually, before they get to be cat food or yard kill, I rescue them. When Sancho isn¹t looking I snatch the lizard and carry it to a narrow place between our two small metal sheds, and I release it in a pile of scrap wood. Usually it just runs away.
This week, however, when I let a lizard go. It did not run away. It scooted up on my hand, then on up my arm, and sat there, looking at me. I think it recognized a hero when he saw and felt one and was thanking me.
I have never been a lizard, nor do I expect to be, and I usually dislike hypothetical situation questions. However, this event caused me to think.
Suppose that lizards I have set free in the past, which ran to hide when I let them go, went back to the Lizard Lounge that evening and told their friends about their encounters with what must have been God.
He was furry and quick, with sharp teeth and claws, and he played with me as if I were of no value, and I had the feeling that any minute he would kill me. I was terrified. I never want to see God again.
Compare that to what the latest lizard I saved would have said.
His God was much bigger. He lifted me gently, and carried me to the log pile, and set me free to live another day. I have never seen or felt such love and compassion before. This, I believe, was the true God.
The lesson of this story is obvious. To many people God is to be feared and avoided, because he manipulates our lives as if we were toys.
The true God is the one who loves us, who rescues us from swamps and loneliness, and His singular objective is to set us free, so we can live in love and honor Him.
From an e-mail by Bob Cork 05/10/03
”The One and Only”
By Pat LawsonHe is the One and Only One Who can bring us joy and gladness. He is the One and Only One Who can permanently take away sin and sadness. He is the One and Only One Who can make the dark day bright. He is the One and Only One Who can give the blind man sight.
He is the One and Only One Who died to set us free. He is the One and Only One Who can give us life eternally. He is the One and Only One Who can show us how to change our heart. He is the One and Only One Who can give us a brand new start.
Jesus is His name. He is the Only One. He is the Bright and Morning Star, He is God’s Only Begotten Son.
Jesus left His throne in glory to die for all on Calvary. He is the One and Only, He came to redeem both you and Me.
He is the One and Only One Who has the answers for all men to see. He is the One and Only One Who gives the Bible to all men for this Opportunity. He is the One and Only One Who shows and draws us with His unfailing love. He is the One and Only One Who can lead us to the realms above.
”The Secret”
One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down." With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!"
"What secret is that?"
To which she replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others."
"The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly
happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy."
The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!" But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn't! She thought a better paying job would make her happy, but it hadn't. When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God.
Now you know it too! We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that. Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you! So once you get it, what will you do?
YOU have to tell someone the Secret, too! That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU!
Submitted via e-mail by Dee Dorofee, 1/03/03
This page updated 06/04/04
