| Welcome to the First Baptist Church of Norwich 239 West Main Street Norwich, Connecticut Phone: 860-889-0369 |
Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"His Boundaries Reflect
His Love and Care"
October 30, 2008
I came around the corner and there he was. The little guy was perched on
top of his house and pushing on the screen trying to get out of his cage. He
is a hard worker. You could see the determination in his movement. All day
long he goes from one end of his cage to the other trying to escape. I don't
know why. I take good care of him. I feed him and fill his water bottle. I
bring him out and let him get a little exercise in his ball. But that doesn't
seem to be enough for him.
He has everything he needs but he wants more. The truth is that he doesn't
know how lucky he is. He was a lab rat that my daughter rescued from
school. She saw him and fell in love with him. He was so cute. At the end
of the year she volunteered to take him home and care for him. He could
have been somebody's lab experiment or been slated for a dissection.
Instead he found a home where he is loved. Who could ask for anything
more?
Of course, I know what we saved him from. He doesn't. All he knows is
his experience living in that glass cage from the time he was born. From his
side of the glass the world outside looks so inviting. What's that old saying,
"The grass is always greener on the other side!" He looks out and sees great
possibilities and wonders why he is trapped and not allowed to enjoy it all. I
am sure that at times he resents me for being the one who keeps him
captive. I guess I can't blame him when I look at it from his perspective.
Because I care for him, I will risk his anger and frustration. Why? This little
guy doesn't know that getting out would be dangerous. He doesn't know
about the big, white, hungry cat that eyes his cage from afar. He doesn't
realize that food doesn't materialize out of thin air. He isn't aware of the hard
cold world that exists outside that cage that would swallow him up and
leave him for dead. All he can think about is satisfying his curiosity. But he
doesn't have to worry about those other things because I am here. I keep
him safe.
As I was thinking about my pet rat and his desire to get out, I couldn't help
but think of the way that many of us do essentially the same thing. We push
the envelope and try things that lead to dead ends and trouble. We ignore
God's warnings and do what we want instead of what we should do. We
forget the fact that God has supplied our needs. We go looking for things
that only cause us pain and bring us sorrow.
Maybe we need to learn how to be satisfied with the blessings we already
have in our lives and follow the path that God sets before us. God gives us
a lot of freedom and He points us in the direction of joy and true happiness.
The restrictions and boundaries God places in our lives are truly there to
protect us from the dangers that lurk beyond our vision. They are reminders
of God's love. For He loves us a lot more than I love my little pet rat. What
God gives us is much greater as well.
So the next time you are feeling a little boxed in, look up and ask God to
walk with you. He will show you the moon and the stars and the glories of
his creation. His smile will remind you that you are loved and his statutes
will keep you safe.
God bless! See you in Church. Cal
His Love and Care"
October 30, 2008
I came around the corner and there he was. The little guy was perched on
top of his house and pushing on the screen trying to get out of his cage. He
is a hard worker. You could see the determination in his movement. All day
long he goes from one end of his cage to the other trying to escape. I don't
know why. I take good care of him. I feed him and fill his water bottle. I
bring him out and let him get a little exercise in his ball. But that doesn't
seem to be enough for him.
He has everything he needs but he wants more. The truth is that he doesn't
know how lucky he is. He was a lab rat that my daughter rescued from
school. She saw him and fell in love with him. He was so cute. At the end
of the year she volunteered to take him home and care for him. He could
have been somebody's lab experiment or been slated for a dissection.
Instead he found a home where he is loved. Who could ask for anything
more?
Of course, I know what we saved him from. He doesn't. All he knows is
his experience living in that glass cage from the time he was born. From his
side of the glass the world outside looks so inviting. What's that old saying,
"The grass is always greener on the other side!" He looks out and sees great
possibilities and wonders why he is trapped and not allowed to enjoy it all. I
am sure that at times he resents me for being the one who keeps him
captive. I guess I can't blame him when I look at it from his perspective.
Because I care for him, I will risk his anger and frustration. Why? This little
guy doesn't know that getting out would be dangerous. He doesn't know
about the big, white, hungry cat that eyes his cage from afar. He doesn't
realize that food doesn't materialize out of thin air. He isn't aware of the hard
cold world that exists outside that cage that would swallow him up and
leave him for dead. All he can think about is satisfying his curiosity. But he
doesn't have to worry about those other things because I am here. I keep
him safe.
As I was thinking about my pet rat and his desire to get out, I couldn't help
but think of the way that many of us do essentially the same thing. We push
the envelope and try things that lead to dead ends and trouble. We ignore
God's warnings and do what we want instead of what we should do. We
forget the fact that God has supplied our needs. We go looking for things
that only cause us pain and bring us sorrow.
Maybe we need to learn how to be satisfied with the blessings we already
have in our lives and follow the path that God sets before us. God gives us
a lot of freedom and He points us in the direction of joy and true happiness.
The restrictions and boundaries God places in our lives are truly there to
protect us from the dangers that lurk beyond our vision. They are reminders
of God's love. For He loves us a lot more than I love my little pet rat. What
God gives us is much greater as well.
So the next time you are feeling a little boxed in, look up and ask God to
walk with you. He will show you the moon and the stars and the glories of
his creation. His smile will remind you that you are loved and his statutes
will keep you safe.
God bless! See you in Church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |