One Line, Just One Word

Can you reach back into the crevices of your mind and relive some of the phrases of your childhood? Phrases like; “Wait until your father comes home!”
Or how about; “I’ve already forgotten more then you will even know”.
Not the best lines I must admit. But then we remember other ones.
“Spring is just around the corner”.
“God helps those who help themselves”. Just a quick note, that one is not found anywhere in my bible.
“Let me give you a hand”
Each one of us could make a list. I love this one that we heard time and time again. Yelled at us after a hard day outside playing; “Time for Supper!” Before you move on, just sit there with your eyes closed and think of the ones you used to hear. . . . Okay, you can open your eyes now.
Some we loved to hear, while others, not so much. In our modest home there was one that we didn’t hear as much as we would have liked to, but it became the one we wished we could hear most often. It came from either mom or dad. Came at times when we least expected it and it came some times after great planning.
The line? “Time to go.” For us children it meant we were off somewhere and this was before malls. Most times it was to visit family, or just to get out and be together. I was the youngest in those days before seatbelt and child seats. My three siblings sat in the back and I would stand between mom and dad on the front seat so I could see over the dashboard. And as you can tell, I lived to tell about it.
There was an adventure to pursue. We were “Off and running”, as dad would say. We had a goal in mind and inevitably it was a great time getting there and even a better time when we arrived. I thought about that recently when I was reading my bible. Jesus had lines as well. And none more direct then when He just said, “GO”. In my mind I think he was saying to us, “It’s time to go”. A time to get going, but to where? And why are we going? He did it with His disciples after teaching then what they needed to know. I believe He is asking them and us to just go out in the world and tell everyone in any way we can that God in Christ loves them. And as Steve Brown says, “And He’s not mad at you.”
We live in a world filled with many lines that confuse and mislead. Lines that can “lead us down the garden path,” to a road of destruction and devastation. Maybe we hear those lines as well. Maybe we have heard them in the past until we heard the line from Jesus, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and over-burdened, and I will give you rest!” Matt. 11:28. That’s it. That’s the line God wants us to GO and tell others as the hymn rings in my ear;
We’ve a story to tell to the nation,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light.
Something To Think About
Rob