Butterflies, Ice Cream and Drought

 

Tommy wasn’t a bad boy by any means but like the rest of us wasn’t perfect either. He had one bad habit and that was to leave his room in an untidy mess. He was a thoughtful kid though, and had commenced a butterfly collection, but just could not understand how a butterfly like this “Ulysses” could possibly have designed its own

wings so beautifully, which was what he had been taught at school. Particularly, seeing he had also been taught in Sunday School and Scripture that the wonderful mind of God designed and created them all. Somehow that seemed to be the most logical thing to believe, because the more he looked at the photos of the many colours and designs and considered how tiny their brains must be, he felt that the Bible account just had to be the right one. Sounds logical, doesn’t it? However, it was a Saturday morning and all this thinking had made him feel like some Ice-cream, (not that we have to think a lot to want Ice Cream), and he knew his mother had a 4 litre pot of his favourite in the freezer so went to the kitchen where his mum was preparing a roast for lunch and said: “Mum, can I have a plate of Ice-cream?” “Certainly” his Mother replied, “that is why I bought it, but first I want you to tidy up your room and put your toys away.” So the lad went back to his room and came back 20 minutes later and asked again for the Ice-Cream. “OK” said his mum, “but I will just check your room first”. I am sorry to say though that she found his room still in a mess, and even a little worse, as he had been building a “Lego” castle all that time. Needless to say, Tommy didn’t get his Ice-Cream: there was nothing wrong with what he was doing, of course, but he had ignored the conditions that his mother had made.

Now, a question for you, dear reader: Did his Mother do the right thing? Frankly I think she was right. He did get Ice-cream for sweets at lunch time, just like the rest of the family, so he didn’t miss out completely, but he did miss out on getting it when he wanted it and at a time when he felt he needed it. His mother’s aim of course was not to save Ice-Cream, but to teach him obedience. I recently wrote that droughts are also the result of disobedience. This is a very “deep” Spiritual subject and I can’t do it justice in 2 pages so am apt to be misunderstood. Someone challenged me the other day, by saying that “England doesn’t have droughts, don’t those people sin?” I would like to point out that in Deuteronomy, God speaking through Moses, was addressing His comments to The Children of Israel. Their climate was different to that of England and He was just assuring them that if they obeyed His Commands He would see to it that they prospered in all sorts of ways including climate, so that they would also have good crops and good pasture. The New Testament shows us that “Gentiles” (non-Jews, like us) are eligible for the same benefits because Jesus died for the forgiveness of everyone who repents and believes in Him. By adoption then, we are included as part of God’s large family and if we comply with His directions, the promises in Deuteronomy will assure us that we will also be blessed in all sorts of ways including climate. However, as a Nation we have forfeited our rights by disregarding and disobeying just about everything He has told us to do, so He cannot possibly bless us as a Nation. Unfortunately, every person in our land is affected by the drought directly or indirectly as it costs billions of dollars.

Well then where does this place you, if you are a Christian endeavouring to do God’s will?  The answer is “Pray in faith, believing, nothing doubting”, and God “shall supply all your needs”. “Only my needs”? Yes, if He does more than that everyone will “jump on the band-wagon.” For example, I knew of a case in a very poor country where people lived in slums and the missionaries built comfortable little houses for a couple of families who had become Christians. When the others saw that, they all came to church, not wanting to hear the Gospel of course, but to get the material benefit of a house. Jesus found this too. After He fed the Five thousand people He said that the crowd was following Him then, not to hear the Gospel but for material benefits. Similarly, if God does more than supply your “need” everybody will be chasing Christianity, not because they recognise themselves as sinners needing a Saviour, but because of the material benefits you received. That’s human nature, and really, do you require more than having your “needs” supplied?  You might want more but is it necessary?

Remember that God loved us enough to have sent Jesus to die to “delete” our sins. So if we haven’t already done so we can repent and accept His forgiveness, it is absolutely free, and then we can request his special assistance, even in times like drought. Bible References: Deuteronomy Chapter 11 Verse 14. Philippians Chapter 4 Verse 19. Matthew 21:22. John Chapter 6 Verse 26. John Chapter 3 Verse 16.                                  Some (Gluten free) food for thought. Tom.