Sunday, November 22, 2009

Looking Down

A man in his late 40's is standing at the top of a high rise building. He is looking down at the cars below as they pass by. He sees the people below, they look like little ants to him. He has lost everything in his life. His wife and daughter were killed in a car accident just weeks ago, he feels like there is nothing to live for and all he wants to do is jump off and die.

The tears begin to fall as he moves closer to the edge with his hands at his sides. His tearful eyes look up at the cloudy sky above and he speaks with a sorrowful voice. "Why did you have to take them? Why couldn't you just leave things be? No, you had to take them, you had to do it."

The man cried out to the Lord and in his sorrow, the tears began to fall like a river flowing. "I would of gone instead, I would of died for them, but why?" He couldn't understand why the Lord would do something.

He thought that everything the Lord did was good, but what he couldn't understand is why he would take the two most beautiful angels in his life. As he started to get closer and closer towards that edge, he heard a sound coming from behind him. It was the sound of wings flapping in the air. As he turned around he saw before him an amazing site that almost made him faint.

Several angels about 15' hovered in the air before him and all around him was the presence of the Holy Spirit. He felt a calm come over his entire body and he heard them speak. With a crash of thunder and streaks of lightning they spoke, their voices were amazing and powerful at the same time.

They said, "STOP! Do not be the foolish one who jumps off and gives his life to the one who does evil. Do you not realize that you live in a sinful world? Do you not understand that this world is filled with evil. Do you understand that because of Adam, these things will happen."

The man looked at the angels and said "Why, but why? Why would you take them from me? Why did they have to die? I want them back, can't you bring them back? Please!?"

The Angels spoke once again and said "The Lord has a reason for everything, even we do not see the final plan, but whatever it is, everything will work together for good. It may not seem like it at this point, but if you believe you shall receive."

The man looked confused "How is that so? So by them dying it is going to make my life better? How can you say that? What Plan? Where? I don't see any plan, I see the pain and sorrow that it has brought me."

One of the angels put his hands on the mans shoulders and said "Trials are a part of life, in a sinful world we will go through things we don't expect or want, but it has to happen. It is part of the Lord's plan, if you will just believe you will see that better things are to come.

The man stepped down from the top of the building and started to sob asking the Lord to forgive him for his sins, he felt so bad and so lonely, but the arms that started to hold him were the arms of Jesus. The man looked into the eyes of Jesus who stood before him in suprize and said "Thank You Lord."

Years later after the terrible accident, the man started to share his faith with others and published several best sellers. He knew that no matter how sad the tragedy was, it was his suffering and trials that he went through which would end up touching other peoples lives.

Forget Turkeys, Forget Sales, Thank Jesus on Thanksgiving!!!

Today, we see so many people rushing about trying to get their turkey and stuffing. All they can think of is "I have to get ready for Thanksgiving" Where is the Lord in all of this? Where have we gone, that we have forgotten all about the true reason for Thanksgiving?

Isn't Thanksgiving a time to thank Jesus for all the things that he has done in our lives. Instead, when you think of Thanksgiving, what do you think about? I think about Turkeys or Black Friday sales, but what I should really be thinking about is everything that the Lord has done in my life. If I am to truly follow the Lord, I must not forget him, even in a time like this.

So tonight, when I was online the whole idea came to me like a ton of bricks. It was a shock, here I was living my life from day to day not even thinking what the true reason for Thanksgiving was. I had forgotten about the Lord and I had neglected the true meaning it should represent.

The Lord has been in our lives everyday, watching over us and giving us the strength to endure anything. So this Thanksgiving, let's not think about Turkeys, let's not think about Black Friday sales. Let us remember, that Jesus is the one to thank and to be thankful for what all he has done in our lives.

It is so easy to forget, but let's be strong and remember Jesus is the reason!!!