|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Credit where Credit is due--(finally)
by
Robert Betts
(Age: 61)
copyright 05-28-2001
Age Rating: 10 to 127
|
 |
| |
I've shuffled my feet, looked around, cringed and wondered for quite some time whether I would be committed if I told the truth. Do I dare?...
Today yet another thing happened which makes it impossible for me to be quiet about it any more.
Ok here goes. For about 50 years of my life I was a blissful agnostic, not particularly interested in if God existed or not or if He was simply, as some say, "the poor people's opium." Speaking of which, I have never done drugs nor ever will... my absolute top limit on beer is 3.
I had a beat up boat and was delivering water to people in Boot Key Harbor in Marathon Florida. One day it rained... and rained... and rained... and rained... as it occasionally does in Florida. The boat that I used to deliver water sunk behind my home boat which it was tied to. I got out my binoculars and could see the barrels which had been in the boat. They were about 1/2 mile away gently rolling against a shoreline. This meant that the pump I used to pump water into boats was on the bottom in about 12 feet of water on a muddy bottom somewhere between here and there. Find it? Ha! 'Bout as likely as finding a treasure chest full of gold.
But, knowing I could ill afford to lose a $100 pump, I asked some friends if they had a grapling hook. They presented me with a clam rake, a very tiny rake, on the end of a 16' unwieldy pole. Oh, and they offered a prayer to which I smiled, thinking, "Well... if it makes you happy."
So I rowed on back to my place, dropped this rake, literally attached to a piece of wet spaghetti into the depths thinking, "At least I can say I tried."
Then something very strange happened. On the very first pass, when I lifted the end out of the water, entwined in the rake was an orange cord... the power cord for the pump!
Then something even weirder happened. I felt a warm glowing presence all around me... The sky turned to sunset colors, enveloped and warmed me. Slowly everything became dreamlike and watercolor. Then I heard a voice... a kind, sweet and loving voice... distinct which said quite simply, "Now do you believe, Bob?"
Stunned and literally in shock, I could say nothing at all. And again, the same sweet voice repeated exactly the same words..."Now do you believe, Bob?"
I recovered enough to mouth the words.. "Yes Lord, Yes.
That happened about five years ago and I still remember it vividly. So, laugh or seek to have me comitted... whatever. My love for God is just immense! He saw fit to come down to me, for what reason I haven't an idea. I know how insignificant I am.. In God's eyes I can't be more than a speck of dust. But He saw fit to perform a miracle of love and He came to me in love... and He Knew that was the ONLY way I would ever have accepted Him.
My life now is very God centered. Sure, I blow it. For sure I'm not perfect but I try.
Now... why this confession today?... I just went to the store and was in the parking lot on my motorcycle, which is my only transportation, when a lady rolled down her window and called out to me. She asked what size shoes I wear and I responded 9 1/2. Seems her husband had died, wore EXACTLY the same shoe size as me and she had several 100% new shoes that had been bought... (The shoes I had on were a mess and my pants looked like I was raiding the ol' man's watermelon patch and hadn't done a respectable job of ducking the buckshot)
In the bible it says something about the birds who don't do anything yet get fed, the lilies which wear beautiful clothes and then Jesus promises the same to us. I trust God for that... Food and clothing and not a thing more... That trust and faith makes it happen as it did yet again today. I am running short of cash and don't know how it will happen... but I believe and have faith. God will find some way to feed me... of that I am 100% certain!
Lord will you buy me a color TV?
Funny you should ask! Jesus never healed so much as one person in all the time He was on earth! Not one ! Don't believe that? Read! He ALWAYS said, "Your FAITH has healed you." In fact I'll go you one step further... Jesus was completely unable to heal people in some towns. His answer? They had no faith.
Faith... that is the trick... tough, very very tough. It is not easy having faith unless you have been outrageously blessed as I have been. Somehow I suspect that this Faith in intertwined with a TRUE Love for God... not the "fear of hell" kind but a true appreciation and love. But how can you love a spirit, being, entity, or whaterer He truly is, that you can't see? Folks, I wish I had an answer for you. I felt and "saw" so I have no problem at all... for others... I can only pray that He comes to you as He did me, or that you are blessed with even greater faith than me.
When I arrived in Goodland I had no dinghy and hence no way to shore. That little voice told me I would find a boat and it would cost $200. I found one and the man wanted $450 and wouldn't budge. I knew it was not the one so I looked some more, found one, knocked on a door and asked if the owner would be willing to sell. Yep, and how much?... $200.... Would you try to haggle the price? I sure didn't !
I also needed transportation and was willing to settle for a beater with 2 wheels and an engine. I prayed and asked God to help me find some kind of transportation... anything would do... I dared part with only $1000, not likely to get me much... So what happens? An '83 Honda Shadow, 500cc mint condition... price $1000 ! A gift from God? You can have your opinion but I know where that came from too !
So... ask for a "clunker" and He may just shock you with a Merceedes which you didn't even ask for... such are the ways of God !
Again... Faith. If you truly NEED a color TV and will settle for whatever God sends you and be thankful for it... IT WILL HAPPEN.... if you have the faith to back it!
May you all find Him and share also in His blessings.
bob
|
Help Us Stop Plagiarism -
Nearly all works at PnP are original. However a few people choose to plagiarize.
To check, choose a phrase from the work, then either drag and drop to the search box or copy and paste.
click on search and works at Google will be shown which match. Just to be sure, please do this before
you recommend or rate the work highly...
|
 |
|
|
|
Select a Random Work
from Stories
|
|
|
Comments on this Article/Poem:
Click on the commenter's name to see their Author's Page
07-10-2006 Tammy Frascona
I guess I'm still young and have questions about devoting myself to the lord, but I thought this piece was interesting. It gave me a chance to hear someone elses beliefs with out judgement from you or myself. I suppose I will believe more as I feel more comfortable with a higher power, but for now I just enjoy hearing about others.!
|
01-09-2005 Andrew Findlay
This was a really inspiring story. I liked the part where you said that Jesus never healed anyone, and that they were healed by their own faith. I actually believe that the human mind is so powerful, that if we could harness its full potental(perhaps through faith), that we could in fact heal our own wounds simply by thinking it. I also think that our minds can make us hear voices that aren't really there...it doesn't make someone crazy-maybe you really did hear God, I don't know.
I also think the human mind can also affect 'the threads of fate' and cause events to happen, such as finding things that we need at just the right time...
This is all done subconsciously of course. If a person could actually control these sorts of things, well, you could imagine.
Anyway, maybe it is God working his mysterious ways through our faith, or maybe the mind of humanity is ready for the next step in evolution.
May Sailor Mercury be with you.
|
04-01-2001 Robert Betts
I also question but God is God is God, no matter what name you call him... I don't attend church because God is far to big for any church to contain and many of His best people are not found there but even in, of all places, a bar ! I have found people sometimes in strange places who are definately His ! I found Him through Jesus and I just don't care to argue with success. For others, may they find Him through whatever means He uses to bring them home. :)
|
04-01-2001 Beverley McInnis
Very beautiful story and amazing how life works out, the people who are drawn into your life and how answers are found even when you are seeking them.
I question the traditional beliefs of God and Jesus as I've seen and experienced too much of the "church's power/church's destruction." I've been involved in native spiritual ceremonies and have much respect for this. The belief of a Great Spirit is more in tuned to my idea/belief of spirituality.
A very inspiring story.
|
04-01-2001 M.E. (Bunny) Eastveld
As an agnostic, I find your story very interesting, and appealing. I WAS a Roman Catholic, until I started to think for myself. Yes, I believe there is a God (higher presence, what ever you wish to call him/her) but god shows his presence everyday in the weather, the animals, the growing things around us, and (sometimes) in the people around us. Good writing, Bob, Bunny
|
|
Visitor
Reads: 1053
Total Reads: 1377
Comments: 5
Author's Page
Email the Author
Add a Comment
Favorite of:
|
|
Welcome !
