what if?

[Jullianna]

If you’ve been a christian for very long, you’ve probably heard the helicopter story. J If you have, indulge me.

THE STORY:

It had been raining for days and days, and a terrible flood had come over the land. The waters rose so high that one man was forced to climb onto the roof of his house.

As the waters rose higher and higher, a man in a rowboat appeared, and told him to get in. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the man in the rowboat went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters rose higher and higher, and suddenly a speedboat appeared. "Climb in!" shouted a man in the boat. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the man in the speedboat went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters continued to rise. A helicopter appeared and over the loudspeaker, the pilot announced he would lower a rope to the man on the roof. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the helicopter went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters rose higher and higher, and eventually they rose so high that the man on the roof was washed away, and alas, the poor man drowned.

Upon arriving in heaven, the man marched straight over to God. "Heavenly Father," he said, "I had faith in you, I prayed to you to save me, and yet you did nothing. Why?" God gave him a puzzled look, and replied "I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what more did you expect?"

SALVATION – BECOMING A BRIDE OF CHRIST:

Salvation is a free gift of God through the work and precious blood of Christ, amen? It’s right there. We have only to step out in faith. But how many people will look at and walk away, never becoming the Bride of Christ?

MY POINT:

How many times do we say/read, “I’m waiting on the Lord”. What if He’s waiting on US to accept what He presents to us? What if there are blessed opportunities that pass us by just because we let them? God isn’t going to drop a husband/wife down the chimney or have the stork deliver one, is He? Do we not need to step out in faith in this regard as well?

The next person to cross our path might not be the right person for us, but what if they are and we never try to find out? Even if they aren’t, what’s wrong with spending time with someone very special, learning about them and from them? Relationships don’t always have to end in tragedy. Even the ones that don’t work out the way we want can still be very precious and beneficial.

But…what if they’re RIGHT?

 

[Liz01]

I agree, sometimes we are so focused in to get what we need in the exact way how we dreamed it or maybe sometimes we want so much a certain person or event in our lives that we stop watching what is in front of us. God is giving us blessings all the time, and maybe we can have one more blessing in front of us and we only need to open our eyes.

This remind me Proverbs 20:13 "Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread."

Great thread Jullianna

 

[zeroturbulence]

I agree, Dianna. What I think is happening a lot with christians is that they will be praying for a husband or wife and then someone will come along who but they will reject them for one reason or another (which brings me back to LISTS again). Either the other person isn't a christian, or my favorite...not a virgin, or they don't make enough money, or have a history of drug abuse or sexual promiscuity, or they don't like cats..or some other reason.

I believe that God does not send perfect, ready-to-marry partners to us. He likes to make everything a test. He will send the person who at first seems like someone you would not want to marry and then because you were good enough to not judge this person and give this person a chance, God changes the things in them that you were going to write them off for in the beginning. Maybe they converted to Christ, or they quit drinking, or they started making more money, etc...

I don't believe in looking for a ready-to-marry mate because 1) I don't think thats the way God works, and 2) all the ready-to-marry people are ALREADY TAKEN. And if you ask them I bet they will tell you how they were very different when they met their partner!

 

[LightningClap0002]

A song that echos your thoughts... especially around 1:45.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hJ2bYqZe68[/video]

Why does God refuse to move?

If pigs could fly they'd fly away and never grace the earth again
I wait and wait and wait and wait but nothing good happens for me

I pray to fly but when I die my feet are still flat on the ground
My brain is good, no legs of wood, but if you could, I think you should

He ain't standin in my way
Cause I did nothin today
He ain't standin in my way

Your ship has crashed no sign of shore - to sit in your lifeboat-you can do no more
5 days at sea starved to the core - lifeboat is leaking-a rip in the floor

But wait, on the horizon - land, land hoe!
Will you sit there and pray-or will you get up and row?
The next time you are quick to say "I'm just waitin' on the Lord"
Just make sure that you remember where we all have been before

 

[Liamson]

People can be so stubborn and foolish. If it isn't exactly how they envisioned it, they won't accept it. We are all still people and we must be willing to grow and build each other up. Through hardship and struggle is forged the trust that weathers any storm. But some people don't want to have to struggle or to cling or to strive, for them waiting on God is just merely waiting and addressing their prayers to fate. "I sure hope this works out." Oh ye of little faith, if only we could see what could save us is before us.

I speak in terms of my own relationship with God. Seeing and understanding that in us He created all things for His purpose and all things serve to glorify Him... WITH ALL THAT SAID. God's idea of Love is much more binding and significant than anything Hollywood or Disney has ever come up with. to embrace this is to allow the deepest sorrow and the highest joy to become a part of your life. For some this is too much range of experience. They can't handle that all the promises Love makes might actually be required of them. Love never promises to be comfortable or easy but, it believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Anything less is not anything I want to be a part of. Jesus Demonstrated this in His death and Ressurection, he went through the darkest moment and rose again to the highest of heights on the third day conquering death by death. He could not have done this with a Love that anything less than God's.

 

[Jullianna]

I love all of your posts. I'd rep you, but the server says I have to pass it around more first. Like the song too.

Gabe, I'd be afraid to marry someone perfect. I'm not good enough for them.