I was thinking how to put this across. That's when I remembered the story of a frog, or let's say, God reminded me about it. So here's the story first in brief...
There was a frog that was born in a well and grew there. It spent so many years there, that the well was the world for the frog. But one monsoon,there were heavy rains, and the well overflowed. It so happened, that the flood carried away the frog too, out of the well, into the outside world. Finally, when the flood water receded, and the greenery was visible around, the frog was amazed to see an entirely new place around. The creature that thought the water in the well to be everything, was surprised at everything that was around.
Now, the question... Can the frog tell to itself that this is all a lie and all that is true is the well where it grew up? This is where we all are, some time or the other.
For some of us, truth is confined to our religious beliefs, our good works, what we have been seeing, since we were born, all that we were taught since then. And just like this frog, we all end up, thinking "That's all! What my parents taught me is all. What my church taught me is correct, nothing else. What our priest/Reverend/Pastor interprets to us is the truth. Nothing else". We end up, making our parents, leaders, religious authorities - God for us, rather than the Word of God! Isn't all this idolatry? Of course, it is!
In John 14:26, Jesus says: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you". Further in John 16:13,14 also, He says, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you".
It is the Holy Spirit alone, who can lead us into all truth. So it is futile to depend on others for the help that comes from Him. Search the scriptures under His guidance, and you will know the truth that sets you free. God has ways, and if we don't obey them, our life is not much different from those around. Jesus says, "I am the Way, & the Truth, & the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me". We cannot approach God the way we want, but as He wants. If we keeping on stressing that what we believe, where we are, is true; God is not going to send any other sign to turn us from our errors. Jesus is clear on this, "An evil & adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"... Matthew 12:39, 40
Do you boast because you have a good job, you are prosperous, you have a wife/family, everything that you want? Look around into the world. There are many who don't even believe in God, who have all these. Don't be deceived into thinking that all these are qualities that mark a true Christian. God has not sacrificed His only Son for just these, of course, He blesses us with our needs, but beyond all these, a life that never ends... with Him in eternity.
This 'well' is not our world. There's lot's more. I pray, God open our eyes and help us realize this truth.
There was a frog that was born in a well and grew there. It spent so many years there, that the well was the world for the frog. But one monsoon,there were heavy rains, and the well overflowed. It so happened, that the flood carried away the frog too, out of the well, into the outside world. Finally, when the flood water receded, and the greenery was visible around, the frog was amazed to see an entirely new place around. The creature that thought the water in the well to be everything, was surprised at everything that was around.
Now, the question... Can the frog tell to itself that this is all a lie and all that is true is the well where it grew up? This is where we all are, some time or the other.
For some of us, truth is confined to our religious beliefs, our good works, what we have been seeing, since we were born, all that we were taught since then. And just like this frog, we all end up, thinking "That's all! What my parents taught me is all. What my church taught me is correct, nothing else. What our priest/Reverend/Pastor interprets to us is the truth. Nothing else". We end up, making our parents, leaders, religious authorities - God for us, rather than the Word of God! Isn't all this idolatry? Of course, it is!
In John 14:26, Jesus says: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you". Further in John 16:13,14 also, He says, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you".
It is the Holy Spirit alone, who can lead us into all truth. So it is futile to depend on others for the help that comes from Him. Search the scriptures under His guidance, and you will know the truth that sets you free. God has ways, and if we don't obey them, our life is not much different from those around. Jesus says, "I am the Way, & the Truth, & the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me". We cannot approach God the way we want, but as He wants. If we keeping on stressing that what we believe, where we are, is true; God is not going to send any other sign to turn us from our errors. Jesus is clear on this, "An evil & adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"... Matthew 12:39, 40
Do you boast because you have a good job, you are prosperous, you have a wife/family, everything that you want? Look around into the world. There are many who don't even believe in God, who have all these. Don't be deceived into thinking that all these are qualities that mark a true Christian. God has not sacrificed His only Son for just these, of course, He blesses us with our needs, but beyond all these, a life that never ends... with Him in eternity.
This 'well' is not our world. There's lot's more. I pray, God open our eyes and help us realize this truth.
