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The Nomenclature of a Scripture
by Gregory Winfield While we listen not to the things that are heard, but at the things which are not heard. For the things which are heard are temporal, but the things which are not heard are eternal. The Book of Greg, Chapter 10 verses 10-12... Seeking Relief... Imagine a piercing car alarm going off right outside your office window. The alarm has been going off for about 15 minutes and as the minutes of endless beeping increases; your headache grows in intensity. Seeking some relief, you pick up the Book of Greg and open it to the above scripture. As you read the scripture, you wonder how you'll be able to listen to something that can't be heard. Furthermore, how would you even know sounds existed if you can't hear them? As you continue to ponder this scripture, it occurs to you that you need some sort of listening device to help you hear what you don't have the ability in and of yourself to hear. The Search for a Listening Device... You go to the office next door and retrieve a radio from a supply closet. The radio is old and hasn't been used in years. As you walk back over to your office, you dust off the old box and wonder how anyone could have neglected such a fine radio. You take it over to your cubicle and plug it in, not knowing if it will work or not. As soon as you plug in the radio, you begin to hear the sweetest sounds of Andrea Bocelli bringing immediate relief to your soul. As you are taken to another place by the melodious sounds coming from the box, your mind is taken to a place where car alarms don't exist and you feel your headache slowly disappearing. The Discovery of Sounds that Cannot Be Heard... Sitting there behind your desk, you begin to drift in and out of a sweet consciousness, mentally imagining the sounds travelling over radio waves that could only be revealed by this most amazing radio. The harmonious blend of strings, woodwinds and the voice of a classical master sooth your soul and you thank God for the escape He has provided you. The Parallel... While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV. Seeking Relief... For months you've been worried about your son. You thought that forcing him to move out would cause him to leave the life of drugs and alcohol he has chosen. But it seems that nothing could be farther from the truth. The fact that he called you from jail last night confirms that fact. As you try to compose yourself to give a presentation to a new client, your mind keeps reflecting back to his childhood and feelings of failure as a father. Seeking some relief from your anxiety, you close your eyes and mentally revisit the church service from last Sunday, particularly the part where the Pastor mentioned that we look not at the things which are seen. Seeking a Visual Aid... 2 Corinthians 4:18 flashes across your mind as you cry out to God for the salvation of your son. Not knowing how to look at something that can't be seen, the Holy Spirit brings Acts 16:31-34 to mind. You read the passage about Paul and Silas being locked in prison. And as a result of God's miraculous power they were freed. The guard invited Paul to his house and after dinner, Paul preached the Word to the prison guard and his whole family and as a result they were all saved. As you continue to look at the later part of verse 31, you pray a short prayer based on that verse for the salvation of your son and begin to realize that looking at things which can't be seen means looking at things through God's Word. Looking at Things Which Cannot Be Seen Through the Window of God's Word After many days and continued focus on what could not be seen, your son comes to you and apologizes for his wayward ways. This visit has been the most pleasant you've had in years. Dressed in a white shirt and tie, he looks like he belongs on a magazine cover. You shake hands with him and hug him as he turns toward the door to leave. Just as he steps off the front porch he turns quickly toward you as if he's forgotten something and says, "Oh yeah dad, I forgot to tell you that I accepted the Lord last week and I started going to church again". As your son drives off, a tear slowly finds its way down your cheek. Who would have ever thought that an invisible God who commands us to look at invisible promises could produce such visible results. Greg's love of writing and the unique way God illustrates the truth of His Word through everyday life situations has given birth to the FaithsMessenger Blog (http://www.faithsmessenger.com). Our goal is to share biblical principles, stories and analogies in a clear, concise, and understandable way. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |