Sunday, January 18, 2009

Help Is Not a Four Letter Word! Part 2

"I'm hearing voices in my head and that's not good." I thought. "What do they call that? Oh yes, Schizophrenia that's it? Just great, I'm losing my mind."

Just then I felt a breeze of sorts. It was like someone was blowing softly on the back of my neck?! Then the voice said:

"You're really not crazy, you know!"

I whirled around , my eyes darting up and down trying see every nook and cranny in the room - seeing nothing or no one.

"If you're really there and not a figment of my imagination why can't I see you? "If you're really there then show yourself." I demanded!

"So what you're saying to me is that as far as you're concerned only seeing is believing? Is that right!"

"Well, ah I ah..."

The 'voice' continued:

"Let me ask you a question," He said. "Can you see the internet? Can you see the waves or signal that carries it to your laptop? Even though it's 'invisible' do you still believe it's really there?"

"Ah yea - no, but that's different and ah..."

He interrupted:,

"Not so different! Let me ask you another question. How about the radio? You turn it on and you 'hear" voices, don't you? You can't see anyone but yet you listen to them. You believe that they are real without any physical evidence."

"Well, I uh....

"You used to listen to Rush Limbaugh religiously everyday at lunch, didn't you?

"Well I used to, yes."

"I knew that. I also happen to know you used to believe everything that Rush said! Yet you've never seen him, either. You don't even know if he really exists, do you?! You have absolutely NO proof!"

"Oh yes, I have seen Rush with my very own little blue beadies!" I retorted. "I've seen him on TV any number of times."

"Score one for me!" I thought.

"So, what you're telling me, He said calmly, "is that you believe there's a Rush Limbaugh because you saw him on the television. Is that right?"

"Ah, well, yes. Sure I do. Of course."

"Really! Huh. Let me ask you another question. Did you see Star Wars when it was on T.V.?"

"Sure I did. It's one of my all time favorites!"

"I knew that, too. How about, 'The Lord of the Rings'?"

"Guilty as charged, I said. "So what?!"

"Do you believe that all the creatures you saw in those movies are real - that they exist - simply because you saw them on T.V.? How about Orcs, Oilyphants, Ewoks, talking robots, Wookies, Jaba the Hutt, Gollum...?"

"Okay, Okay...Well of course not!" That's ridiculous. You know and I know they're not real. I'm not stupid you know!"

"I didn't say you were. Hmmmm, Interesting! "

So thus far, we have established that 'sometimes' you listen to and trust in voices you hear and believe they are real even though you have never seen or even met those people in person. Other times you trust in voices because you have "seen" them on T.V. but yet you don't always believe what you see on T.V. or what you hear - is that correct?"

"Well, yes, I guess." I was getting frustrated. "Go ahead and make your point." I said, feeling quite irritated..

"I think I have already done that quite sufficiently. Sounds to me like you're the one who is a little confused and not too consistent about what, who and why you believe."

"Let me ask you one more question. Do you believe in the wind?"

"That's a silly question. Of course, EVERYBODY believes in the wind."

"How do you know the wind exists? Did you SEE IT on T.V.? Can you prove it exists?

"Now I've got you", I thought!

"Of course you can't "see" the wind but you can hear it sometimes and you can "feel" the wind and...

He interrupted again!

"Do you believe everything you feel is real?"

"Can I finish please!" I said, feeling quite annoyed. I chose my next words carefully and for maximum effect.

"Not only can you feel the wind (like on your face) but you can see the effects of the wind! You know, swaying trees, blowing sand, moving clouds, amber waves of grain and all that. That's how I KNOW the wind exists! Get it!"

Precisely! He said triumphantly.

"Precisely what?" I queried.

I thought you'd never ask! Precisely what HE said to Nick - about Me!!!"

"Said about you? To Nick who? You're not making any sense!"

"Why Nick O. Demas. That's who HE said it to. You Remember." He said confidently..

"You're right, I do remember, It's in John's gospel. The second chapter!"

"You're absolutely right. Please go ahead - tell it to me."

"Well", I said, "Nick O. Demas was a ruler of the Jews and he came at night to see Jesus." (Probably because he didn't want to be seen by other of the Jewish Temple big wigs.)

Anyway, Nick said to Jesus, "We (leaders of the Jews) know you are a teacher sent from God because no one could do the miracles and stuff that you do unless God was with him."

Jesus then said to Nick, "I tell you that you must be born, again to inherit the Kingdom of God."

Nick didn't get it so He said to Jesus, 'Huh? Born again? I don't get it? How can I be born again? Do I have to get back into my mommies tummy and come out a second time? How is that possible.?"

"You're right. You don't get it Nick." Jesus said, "I'm not talking about just being born by coming out of the 'water' or amniotic fluid in your mother's womb a second time, but you must be born of the Spirit, to inherit the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. So don't be so astounded when I say, you must be born again."


"I think, at this point", I said, "Nick looked quite puzzled despite Jesus' explanation. So the Lord tried to explain it to Him another way. Jesus said...

"Ooooo this is My favorite part" He interrrupted.

"Can I finish please - without interruption!"

"So then Jesus said, "Nick it's kind of like the wind. It blows where it wishes! You hear the sound of it - but you have no idea where it comes from or where it is going. That's the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

"Are you tracking with me, Nick?" Jesus said.

"I can't believe that I remembered the whole thing, I exclaimed. That's amazing! I haven't read that in a long long time!"

"It's not so amazing to me." He said.

"Why not? I asked.

"Because I've been helping you to remember what He said. After all that is one of my prime directives. You know, to "bring to remembrance whatever He said." Of course I also help people get "born again - that's a biggie!"

"Oh my God" I exclaimed, "Then you're..."

"Up close and in person," He replied.

"I'm blown away!" I exclaimed.

"Nice metaphor." He said. "But you shouldn't be surprised. You asked me to come and I only go where I'm invited.....or sent!"

"How, when?"...I stammered.

"And I quote." You said,

"
...I have a one track mind." What kind of a clue is that? No doubt I'm really going to need some HELP to figure that out!"

"You said HELP, so here I am. So...How can I help you?"

To Be continued

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please consider your comments carefully as this is a public site. All comments will be moderated and if found to be argumentative, inflammatory or offensive they will be deleted. We are thankful for your input! Please add us to your favorites! Blessings!