I recently read the following story about a family of wayward church members who had once been active, but had lost all interest and had fallen away.
There was the father and his three sons, Jim, John and Sam. Many people from the church had talked with them about their lost condition. The Pastor visited them expressing his concern for them, but it was all to no avail.
One day when the boys were out in the pasture, a large rattlesnake bit John and he became very ill.
A Medical Doctor was called and after an examination declared that John was in very critical condition. He told the father that ‘About all you can do now is pray.’
So, the father called the Pastor and told him of John’s condition. He asked the Pastor to pray for John’s recovery and the following was his prayer.
He said, ‘O wise and righteous Father, we thank Thee, for Thou hast in Thy wisdom sent this rattlesnake to bite John, in order to bring him to his senses. He has not been inside the church for years and it is doubtful that he has in all that time felt the need for prayer. Now we trust that this will prove a valuable lesson to him, and it will lead to genuine repentance.’
‘And now, O Father, wilt Thou send another snake to bite Sam and another to bite Jim, and another big one to bite their dad. We have all been doing everything we know for years to restore them, but to no avail. It seems, therefore, that all our combined efforts could not do what this snake has done. We thus conclude that the only thing that will do this family any good is rattlesnakes; so Lord, send us bigger and better rattlesnakes. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.’
What a prayer! It’s likely that father was sorry he called him. However, that Pastor was a brave man. He had the best interests of that family at heart. He wanted them to be saved and not be lost for eternity.
They needed to get right with God and He allowed this hardship so that it might happen. It was an act of love. The most important thing in any life is being right with God and having eternal life. Remember, waywardness and disobedience to His Word will bring correction from the Lord.
Let’s live every day with the desire to Please Him foremost in our minds!
Let’s do it!
May the Lord bless you!
We love you all.
Pastor Carter
