Thursday, December 13, 2007

Leave the Results to God

Pushing Against The Rock
Author Unknown

There once was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Saviour appeared to him.

The Lord told him He had a work for him to do, and showed him a large rock explaining that he was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, and for many days he toiled from sunup to sundown; his shoulder set squarely against the cold massive surface of the rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man showed signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture - placing thoughts in the man's mind, such as ``Why kill yourself over this?, you're never going to move it!'' or ``Boy, you've been at it a long time and you haven't even scratched the surface!'' etc. giving the man the impression the task was impossible and the man was an unworthy servant because he wasn't moving the massive stone.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man and he started to ease up in his efforts. ``Why kill myself?'' he thought. ``I'll just put in my time putting forth just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough.'' And this he did or at least planned on doing until, one day, he decided to take his troubles to the Lord.

``Lord,'' he said, ``I have labored hard and long in Your service, putting forth all my strength to do that which You have asked of me. Yet after all this time, I have not even budged that rock even half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?''

To this the Lord responded compassionately, ``My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you to push against the rock with all your strength and that you have done. But never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. At least not by yourself. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed, ready to quit. But is this really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled; your back sinewed and brown. Your hands are calloused from constant pressure and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your ability now far surpasses that which you used to have. Yet still, you haven't succeeded in moving the rock; and you come to Me now with a heavy heart and your strength spent. I, my friend will move the rock. Your calling was to be obedient and push, and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom, and this you have done.''


This old story came to mind as I was re-reading today's posts. What the Lord wants from each of us is obedience...the results should be left up to Him. This is a very, very hard lesson for me...one that He seems to have to repeat every so often in order to get through to me. I'm so glad that He never tires of that though. It's ALL gift...all of it!

Thank You Lord for Your amazing Grace!

Love God!

“Love God and do what you will.”
---St. Agustine

May our love for God be so strong and so pure that our will and His become one.

The Shout of El-Shaddai (video)

It all rests on God

Intercessors Of The Lamb

I said, “How can we pray for you today?” She said, “Maybe you could pray for my headache. I have a headache.” I thought to myself, “Oh God, thank You. That’s all she wants us to pray for—a headache. I mean, we certainly should be able to get the grace for a headache!” See how much of self is still here. How much I thought it depended on my partner and me. We both kind of looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief that this was all she wanted. So we just said this simple little prayer, “God, would You touch her and take away her headache?” That was all, and she jumped up out of the chair, energized, and said, “It’s gone! It’s gone!” We said, “It is?!” “Yes!” I said, “Well, that’s wonderful. How long have you had this headache?” “Five years.” So God was teaching us. Every time we pray, He teaches us something. He teaches us that this kind of ministry is for children because children know they don’t have any power. They know it all rests on God. They just ask. That’s the key: it all rests on God.



Excerpt from “Desert Prayer,” city, New Mexico, 1998.

Universalis: Office of Readings

Universalis: Office of Readings:

"It was not by their own swords that our fathers took over the land, it was not their own strength that gave them victory; but your hand and your strength, the light of your face, for you were pleased in them."


May we trust God and His strength more then our own.

USCCB - (NAB) - December 13, 2007

USCCB - (NAB) - December 13, 2007:

"The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain, their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the broad valleys; I will turn the desert into a marshland, and the dry ground into springs of water. I will plant in the desert the cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive; I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine, That all may see and know, observe and understand, That the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it."


Prayer for Today: May all His people be filled with hope and joyful anticipation.