Cody
Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2006
- Messages
- 1,639
I received this in my email and wanted to share it with this site. God Bless
> THIS WILL GIVE YOU CHILLS:
>
> AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS,
>
> THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,
> WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND,
> BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING,
> HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER
> WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.
> IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE
> CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS
> ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND
> THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS
> TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER
> HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.
> WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE
> PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.
> A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE
> SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST ,' HE BEGAN.
> WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY
> ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE.
> THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE
> FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT
> KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT
> INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.'
> THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT,
> MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE,
> FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN,
> LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.
> THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,
> GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE
> MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY
> WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.
> HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
> THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND
> HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT.
> THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY
> THE TORRENT OF WAVES.
> AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!'
> HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.
> BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK
> TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED
>BENEATH
> THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.
> HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
> BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP
> STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT
> WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
> THE FATHER,' HE
> CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD
> STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT
> BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO
> AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED
> HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. '
> HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE
> SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY
> BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO
> ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF
>THE
> LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS
>SERVICE.'
> WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN
> HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.
> THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND
> DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE
> END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.
> WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO
> TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.
> THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF
> THEM,'BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A
> FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT
> THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.'
> WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN
>REPLIED,
> GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE
>BROADENED
> HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS
> AND SAID, 'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT,
> I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES
> ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD
> TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
> YOU SEE...
> I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S
>FRIEND.'
> THIS WILL GIVE YOU CHILLS:
>
> AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS,
>
> THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,
> WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND,
> BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING,
> HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER
> WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.
> IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE
> CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS
> ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND
> THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS
> TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER
> HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.
> WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE
> PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.
> A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE
> SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST ,' HE BEGAN.
> WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY
> ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE.
> THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE
> FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT
> KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT
> INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.'
> THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT,
> MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE,
> FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN,
> LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.
> THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,
> GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE
> MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY
> WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.
> HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
> THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND
> HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT.
> THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY
> THE TORRENT OF WAVES.
> AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!'
> HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.
> BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK
> TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED
>BENEATH
> THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.
> HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
> BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP
> STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT
> WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
> THE FATHER,' HE
> CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD
> STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT
> BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO
> AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED
> HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. '
> HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE
> SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY
> BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO
> ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF
>THE
> LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS
>SERVICE.'
> WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN
> HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.
> THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND
> DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE
> END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.
> WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO
> TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.
> THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF
> THEM,'BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A
> FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT
> THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.'
> WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN
>REPLIED,
> GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE
>BROADENED
> HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS
> AND SAID, 'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT,
> I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES
> ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD
> TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
> YOU SEE...
> I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S
>FRIEND.'
