![]() |
What Everyone Needs to Know About Life in Two MinutesBy Ed Delph August 20, 2018![]() The first day God created the dog and He said, “Sit at the door of the house and bark at everyone who comes by and I will give you twenty years.” “That’s too long,” said the dog. “I’ll take ten years and give you back the other ten.” The second day, God created the monkey to entertain people and do tricks. God said, “I’ll give you a twenty-year life span.” “That’s too long,” the monkey said. “I can’t do monkey tricks for twenty years, how boring. I’ll take ten years and give you back the other ten. The third day, God created the cow. “Go out into the field, eat grass, work in the sun, produce milk, have calves and support the farmer. I’ll give you a life span of sixty years.” “That’s too long,” the cow said. “I’ll take twenty years and give you back forty years.” The fourth day, God created man. “Eat, sleep, play, marry, enjoy your life. I’ll give you twenty years of life.” The man replied, “Only twenty years, that’s not enough. I’ll take my twenty years, plus the forty years you gave the cow, the ten years you gave the monkey, and the ten you gave to the dog. That makes eighty years.” God replied, “You have a deal.” That’s why for the first twenty years we humans eat, sleep and play. The next forty years we work in the sun to support our family. The next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain our grandchildren. The last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone who goes by. Aha! I like the concept of what we need to know about life. Here’s my improved take on everything we need to know about life and I’ll do it in two minutes. Vicar John Maher proposes a question to us. “When you were growing up did you ever find yourself in a situation where someone dared you to do something that seemed dangerous? Did you answer like many children would answer by saying, 'You first?' The person who dared you probably had not done that dangerous thing yet. It is good for us that God doesn't work that way. We will be asked by God to do some seemingly dangerous things sometimes, but God will not leave us on our own. We will be equipped in our own hearts by the Spirit of God to do things Jesus has already done.” No matter what you are currently going through, Jesus has already gone through it. God doesn’t say, “You first.” No, God sent Jesus, not to just speak to us, but to show the way for us in areas we would consider dangerous. On the cross, Jesus shows us there is another side of life, first earthly, then heavenly. “I’ll go first and show you there is a resurrection from the dead, a heaven and everlasting life.” Jesus went first in love too. There was a group of people trying to love one another, but fearful. Each was saying, “You first!” One group says, “I will love you if you love me first.” Then the other group says, “No, I will love you if you love me first.” It was an unbroken circle of “If you.” What did Jesus do? Break the circle. Jesus said, “OK, I’m taking the first step, I love you, period. Now, you can love because I love you first.” The Bible calls Jesus a forerunner. If He is a forerunner, that means He’s the first of many other runners. He went first to show us God’s way of living. Are you being tempted? Jesus was before you and He made it. Are you lonely? Jesus was and he made it. Facing hopelessness? Jesus was too. Are you sorrowful? Are you in bad health and pain? Jesus was too. He has been there before you. And He is here to show you the way through it. He’s here to show you He took the death from dying, the cry from crying, the try from trying, the fear from fearing, and the sin from sinning. And…He put the live back into living. And this, my friends, is what everyone needs to know about life in two minutes. Let’s walk right up to the Forerunner and get what He is so ready to give. He sympathizes with our struggles. He knows humanness. He’s been there. Take the mercy, accept the help. You’re the next runner. Ed Delph CCC August 22, 2018
|
Ed Delph is a leader in church-community connections. Visit Ed Delph's website at www.nationstrategy.com
|