Inside Perspective - February 2015
Dear Family in Christ,
Ever precious greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ! It started out as any other ordinary day for ten year old Peter. He
awoke to the sound of his mother’s soft voice as his nose sniffed the alluring
aroma of bacon and eggs in the air. Waking up from his slumber, he immediately
jumped out of his bed, and with great anticipation, he raced to the window. As
he flung open the curtains, Peter's eyes beheld the white winter wonderland that
last night’s forecasters had so adamantly promised. Wow, it was going to be a
great day!
"Oh boy,” he said to himself, "this is gonna be
awesome!" His mind raced with thoughts of sleigh-riding down his favorite hills
with his best friend John while they hit each other and everyone else with
snowballs! But for the moment, his mother's commanding voice brought him back to
reality as he headed to the bathroom.
After Peter finished his morning routine, he proceeded
straight to the kitchen, where he was met with a wonderful family-style
breakfast. His precious mother was quite the cook and his little belly served as
a testament to her culinary skill! He loved starting his day like this; it gave
him such a sense of belonging. Peter loved his family deeply and his father was
his special hero. He was very blessed, and even at such a young age, he knew it.
His parents had lovingly led Peter to their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, a
couple of years earlier, and since then, he had grown to love his Lord. He now
saw the Lord's hand in all things. His childlike faith reasoned that the Lord
had orchestrated this timely snowstorm that had released him from school for the
day.
As he finished with his breakfast, he phoned John and
they planned their antics for the day. A ten year old’s utopia---no school and
two feet of fresh snow! Well, the day did not disappoint and had indeed
fulfilled all of Peter’s hopes as he dragged himself, wet and exhausted, back to
his house for dinner. He changed and ate, and with a small spark of energy left,
he asked his mom if he could go outside just one more time. She said, "Yes, but
please stay close by, honey." So, John came over and the two of them decided to
make a snow fort in the parking lot across the street. They took their snow
shovels and off they went.
The boys found a big snow bank right in the middle of
the parking lot and tunneled their way down, as kids are apt to do. After some
work, they had it just the way they wanted it, big enough for the two of them to
hide from everyone. Little did they know how hidden they would soon be!
Well, it happened in the twinkling of an eye. The city
snow-plow went by, and from the inside of their newly built fort, they heard a
loud grinding sound as the additional cold wet snow pressed its way down on top,
burying them six feet under in a frozen tomb. In a panic, they tried to move but
couldn't. By the grace of God, they had an air pocket to breath. Peter cried out
in fear, "Lord, help us!" They lay in the frozen tomb for hours, which seemed
like years, unable to move.
Meanwhile, when the boys had not returned home, fear
and concern had started to grow in the hearts of Peter’s parents. They went out
searching, and called on the neighbors for help. They were not successful and
decided that they needed to call the police. After four hours of frantic
searching, there was still no sign of them. It was now two o'clock in the
morning, and everyone began to fear the worst---abduction. At this point, the
boys were cold beyond belief, but Peter continued to call on the Lord for help.
The search party regrouped back at Peter’s home to
discuss what to do next. Officer Christian decided to sit in his patrol car in
the parking lot across the street. As he sat there and ate the sandwich his wife
had prepared for him, he was mulling over what could have happened to the boys.
While he went over the case in his head, his eyes were panning around when he
noticed a huge mound of snow around a light pole. "What's that?" he thought to
himself. "Is that the handle of a shovel sticking out of the snow? Didn't they
say the boys had shovels?" He quickly raced to the mound of snow, dropping his
sandwich to the ground as he went. Yes! It was the handle of a shovel! He
frantically began to dig as he yelled out the boys’ names. A couple of feet down
Officer Christian uncovered a boot! "My stars!" he thought, "the boot is
moving!" Ecstatic, he dug and dug until he had both boys out. And in no time,
the boys were transported to the hospital. Needless to say, there was great joy
in both families that the boys had been found. The boys were fine, a bit
traumatized as one would expect, but boys nonetheless, with quite the story to
tell! Officer Christian was a hero; more so, the Lord had answered Peter's
prayer. And what a testimony Peter now had for church on Sunday!
It is written, "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy
in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." (Luke
15:10)
This real-life story actually happened in New York
just a few months ago and it was all over the news. I took literary license
because it made me reflect on how valuable souls really are. Christ declared
their eternal worth upon the cross. Somehow stories about children, like this
one, always seem to bring the point home more clearly, and affect us more
deeply. I cried as I wrote of Officer Christian finding the boys. Jesus wept
over the souls of Jerusalem.
I have become a big cry baby over the years as the
love of God in me weeps over lost souls. All people dig their little snow forts
of sin and before they know it, Satan has them plowed in. Christ in us seeks
them. Everywhere we look, people are frozen in the tomb of sin. Do you really
care? Christ died for the ungodly. Beloved, you are Officer Christian! And if
you look closely, you'll see the handles of shovels everywhere...
"ARE YOU DIGGING?"
LOVE,
PHILIP