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THE ARK OF ORDINARY TASKS
by Annie Glasel In 1992, a Dutch building contractor named Johan Huibers dreamt that Holland disappeared in a flood. Fourteen years later in June 2005, Johan (then 46) began building a replica of Noah's Ark with his hands. Johan worked on this ark from 8am- 5pm, six days a week, assisted by his son Roy who came to help after school hours. Earlier this year in 2008, Johan's replica is complete at half the length and 1/3 of the width of the original ark. Open to the public, it houses a petting zoo, a restaurant, familiar scenes from the Bible, tracs and a theater with videos that share the gospel. Johan hopes that this will revive interests in Christianity in his homeland. No doubt the size of this vessel will impress you when you visit it online at www.arkvannoach.com. Now, meditate on this simple fact: this ark is the culmination of hundreds and thousands of ordinary actions by one man -- sawing, nailing, sanding, painting, clamping, measuring, sealing, etc. It is like this with evangelism and community outreach. Each of us is armed with hundreds and thousands of ordinary tasks that, when summed up, may result in someone's salvation. Someone in our community. It is the ad-hoc loving hug you give to a child for no reason but to love on them. It is the encouragement you give to a co-worker. It is the weekly Big Brother or Big Sister time you spend with someone who has no one. It is you buying a needy family a meal or an entire month's grocery, until they get back on their feet. It is you inviting someone to your home. It is your daily prayer for someone who needs the touch of Jesus. It is you giving free music lessons to disadvantaged kids. It is you singing at the hospice. It is you telling jokes at a cancer ward. It is you adopting a child or fostering one. Or in my case, writing emails to my friends and keeping God on their mind. Each of us is building an ark of some sort using the talent God has given us for his glory. How are you using yours today? I've written to ease my pain; I've written to hear my voice; I've written for vanity; I've written for sanity; I've written for fun; I've written for laughs; I've written for me; I've written for money. But until I write for God, this talent is for naught. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |