I began one of my classes this morning by reading the close of I Thessalonians 5. Verse 24 is wonderful. It says, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” The mind is a strange thing. Memories that have been tucked away for decades are suddenly released as if someone turned a key and opened a door. As I finished voicing the text my mind immediately remembered something that happened to me sixty years ago. On Sundays my Dad and I would take our dog and head for the mountains in central Pennsylvania. He knew where there were saw mills and they were great fun because of the giant piles of sawdust generated from the saws. We loved to climb to the top and then roll end over end to the bottom.
One would think I would never forget about one particular day but I had until I read the above verse. We tumbled down an especially huge pile of sawdust and arrived at the bottom surrounded by rattlesnakes that were not overly pleased by our sudden appearance. We had disturbed their sunbaths. Instantly my father said to me, “Freeze. Don’t move at all. I’ll take care of them.” Was I afraid? Most likely I should have been. But my Dad said, “I’ll take care of them.” And so I sat frozen in place as one by one he took care of them just as he said he would.
And so this morning a door opened in my mind as I remembered Jesus saying, “If we as humans know how to give good gifts unto our children, how much more will our Father in heaven.” Thank you Paul for I Thess. 5:24. “The one who calls is faithful. He will do it.”
Written by Roger Bothwell on May 4, 2011
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org