Caleb and his sister Faith were in Tennessee for a couple of weeks with some friends. Usually the weather is fairly nice in Tennessee, even in January. But when they got there, they saw that a snow and ice storm had surprised everyone, and it was very cold.
By the first Sunday, most of the roads had been cleared off. Caleb and Faith decided to go to someone’s home where they could meet with other Christians. Once they got past the street they were staying on, they weren’t worried as they went on their way. The roads they would take from there on were main roads and didn’t have any ice to speak of. But when they got to the neighborhood where they were going, they found that the road the house was on was still a sheet of ice. Even worse, it was a hill. Faith started driving slowly up the hill, trying to be careful, but before they got to the top, the car started sliding back down. Faith stopped the car, but then they didn’t know what to do. Driving up the hill didn’t seem like it would work, and going back down the hill looked impossible, too. If she let go of the brakes just a little, they would start sliding down the hill, but she couldn’t steer because of the ice, and they were getting dangerously close to the ditch. Caleb noticed that someone living at the top of the hill had a big truck in his driveway. He decided to go ask them if they could help pull them to the top. The owners didn’t have anything to connect the car to the truck, so they couldn’t help.
After about 15 minutes with lots of little maneuvers, Caleb and Faith finally got the car turned around and drove slowly down the hill. Then they needed to park the car. The neighborhood across the street didn’t look too busy, so they left the car there and walked the rest of the way to where they were going. But — what a disappointment! When they arrived, no one answered the door! It seemed they had gone through all that trouble for nothing!
But ... was it for nothing? This story is a good way to get us to think ... who are we living to please? If we do things because we love the Lord Jesus, as Faith and Caleb did, then He appreciates what we do, even if it looks like it didn’t turn out. When the Lord Jesus lived on earth as a Man, one day John the Baptist, who told everyone how to get ready for Jesus’ coming, was put in prison. People didn’t want to hear what John had to tell them. The cities where Jesus did most of His amazing works were rejecting Jesus, too. It may have looked to others like His work was a failure. But Jesus said, “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight” (Matthew 11:25-2625At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Matthew 11:25‑26)). He didn’t complain; He just gave thanks to God His Father, trusting Him with what was happening. And we see that in the end of Jesus’ life, when He died on the cross because He was completely rejected, He then made a way for everyone who believes on Him to be saved from their sins.
So, if you are trying to please the Lord, or perhaps your parents, and things don’t seem to work out, I hope you will remember that the Lord understands how you feel, and I hope you will also remember to give thanks even for the hard things that happen. We can always give thanks, because God is good no matter what happens.
Memory Verse: “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight.” Matthew 11:25-26
Messages of God’s Love 9/1/2024