God
has put something noble and good into every heart He has created.
So while living on earth, we must always remember to learn from
yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow and above all, trust Him
completely for only time will show what's ahead of us throughout our journey.
Let's
learn from the following article written by
Mirabai Chrin.
Once
there was a very poor and devoted woman who always prayed to the glory
of God, asking very little, if anything for herself. But one thought,
one desire continued to recur and finally she asked: petitioning the
Lord, that if it were possible, she would love to prepare a special meal
and have God share at her table. And God, in His love for this goodly
woman, said He would indeed come the next day and share a meal.
Filled with ecstasy, the woman went out the following morning with her
meager purse and purchased such delicacies that she felt would please
the Lord.
Returning home, she prepared a banquet and waited patiently for her most
honored guest. Soon there was a knock on the door, and when she opened
it, there stood an old beggar asking for something to eat. Being a woman
of God, she could not turn the beggar away, so she invited him in to
partake of her table. The beggar felt as if he was in a dream - such a
feast set before him. He finished all the food, thanked his hostess and
left.
The woman was only slightly disheartened, she gathered up her purse, her
coat, and hurried back to town to get more food for her special guest.
Her funds were less now and so the food was not quite so elaborate.
Nonetheless, she lovingly prepared another meal and sat to await the
arrival of the Almighty.
A few hours went by and there was a loud knock on the door. This time it
was an old woman with no teeth, who was deaf, who spoke quite
loudly and was, rather rudely, insisting that any true believer in the
Lord would not deny her something to eat.
Though the woman had no more money with which to buy more supplies, she
invited her in and offered her a seat at the table. She ate
everything, did not even thank the woman and left without closing the
door.
By now it was beginning to get dark both inside and out. The woman's
faith was strong, so that, though somewhat distraught, she did not give
up, but rather, looked around her humble house to see if there was
anything she could sell in order to buy more food to set before the
Lord.
She hurried to town with a little silver cup that had been in her family
for several generations, but she was willing to part with it for the
great honor that God was going to bestow on her - the sharing of a meal.
Late in the night she rushed home to prepare yet a third meal. She
waited and waited until, once more, there was a knock on the door.
Holding her breath, she slowly opened the door to find yet another poor
man in the
guise of a wandering monk, in search of a meal.
Again,
she offered hospitality, with as much grace as she could muster in her
disappointment. This man also ate all that was set on the table and left
after blessing the woman for her kindness. So discouraged and dismayed
was she that all she could do was nod slightly, in acknowledgment of the
thanks.
Now it was too late, with no way to buy any more food and no more money
with which to buy it. She got down on her knees, weeping such
heart-broken tears. She asked God what she had done wrong. Why had God
not come to share at the table as He had promised?
And God, in all His divine compassion and mercy, lifted the woman off
her knees, and holding her close to His heart, said, "My child, I
enjoyed your hospitality so much that I came three times!"
By Tim Pedrosa
Happy
are those who are concerned with the poor, the Lord will help them when
they are in trouble. The Lord will protect them and preserve their
lives; He will make them happy in the land; He will not abandon them to
the power of their enemies.
Psalms 41:1-2 |