Irrelevant Ramblings

There are a number of stories in the BIble. Some are very well known stories like, The Creation Story, Noah’s Ark, Baby Moses and many more. On the other hand there are many Bible stories that have not been heard, or not told much. Over the next while I will post some of these stories that are not very well know.

We are going to begin with a guy named Elisha. Elisha was a student of the prophet Elijah. When Elijah was nearing the end of his ministry and life, Elisha asked to have a double dose of the power that Elijah had. While Elijah could not grant that request, God could and did. Elisha did many good things with that power, he also did at least one now so good things with that power. Here is a story of what happened when a couple of youth’s taunted Elisha.

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. “Go on up, you baldhead!” they said. “Go on up, you baldhead!!

He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

This was the first time I had ever heard this story. I was amazed. There is a moral to the story, be careful what you say to a balding prophet of God!

I think the real reason for this story is to show is the difference between Elijah and Elisha. Elisha got twice as much power from God that Elijah had. The difference between the two men is that one knew how to properly use that power.

We need to understand, respect and learn to control the power that we have been given. To often we are given power and many of us abuse it.

Can you imagine how different our world would look if those who were in positions of power knew how to control the power they have been given. How would the US economy would look if the bankers had controled the strength that they had?

What if we all better controlled the power that we have been given, how would our planet look now?

How can you better use the power that you’ve been given? We’ve all have been given power. Let start to use it and see how things begin to change.

I have been prepping to officiate my grandmothers funeral, and have been looking through her Bible.

Now if you know my grandmother, and many of you don’t, you will know that my grandma loved to clip little sayings and prayers out of books and magazines.  Every card you got from her would have one of these little clippings in it. When I was younger I thought they were a cheesy grandma thing, but I can say that now I appreciate them.

And today as I looked through her Bible I found one of those clippings, it was taped (or glued) in the front cover of her Bible. It’s a poem called “One Year To Live.”

If I had but one year to live;
One year to help; one year to give;
One year to love; on year to bless;
One year of better things to stress; 
One year to sing; one year to smile;
To brighten earth a little while;
One year to sing my Maker’s praise;
One year to fill with work my days;
One year to strive for a reward
When I should stand before my Lord. 

I think that I should spend each day,
In just the very self-same way
That I do now. For, from afar
The call me come to cross the bar
At any time, and I must be 
Prepared to meet eternity.

So if I have a year to live;
Or just a day in which to give
A pleasant smile, a helping hand,
A mind that tries to understand 
A fellow-creature when in need,
‘Tis one with me-I take no heed;
But try to live each day He sends
To serve my gracious Master’s ends.

 

I will miss you Grandma.

There have been many occasions that I have said that I am going to try and read through the Bible in a year, but this is the year that I am determined to do it.  By the end of 2009 I will have read through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice. I hope I can stick with this. I am already a day behind.

If you are interested in coming along for the ride and sharing your thoughts on your reading, and reading some of my thougths, you can do so by joining me at You Version and  looking for themisfit. 

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