Message from Karla Mungillo, Fifth Grade Teacher

Once there was a man who dared God to speak.

“Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God.  And I will follow.

Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God.  And I will fight.

Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God.  And I will listen.”

And so the man sat by a bush, near a wall, close to the sea and waited for God to speak.  And God heard the man, so God answered.  He sent fire, not for a bush, but for a church.  He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of sin.  He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a soul.

And God waited for the man to respond.

And he waited……

And waited…..

And waited.

But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks and not lives; seas and not souls, he decided that God had done nothing.  Finally he looked to God and asked, ”Have you lost your power?”

And God looked at him and said, “have you lost your hearing?”

How far do you want God to go in getting your attention?  If God has to choose between your eternal safety and your earthly comfort, which do you hope he chooses? God will whisper.  He will shout.  He will touch and tug.  He will take away burdens, he’ll even take away our blessings.  If there are  a thousand steps between us and him, he will take all but one.  But he will leave the final one for us.  The choice is ours. 

John 14:27--Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  John 10:11--I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep……I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me….I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold.  I must bring them also.  They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.