Little things
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf_0jzPQ8lo
(Click on the link to view)
This morning I was pleasantly surprised by a video that Bruce Arnold sent me in an email. I enjoyed it greatly (and hope you will as well) and thought I would share it with you. Then, as I was thinking of a picture to go with this, I came across this picture of what only could be a "pre-me" newborn and remembered the number of babies this country kills each year in the name of "choice" and wondered what thoughts they might have before their entry into this world. Now, I can't say when I had my first thought; that is, when I became sentient, but I probably had thoughts before those things I CAN REMEMBER. I know this because of a passage from the book of Jeremiah and an associated verse from the book of 1st Samuel...
Jeremiah, Chapter 1
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2 to whom Yahweh’s word came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It
came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to
the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of
Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. 4 Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 5 “Before
I formed you in the belly, I knew you. Before you came out of the womb,
I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”
7 But Yahweh said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for to whoever I shall send you, you shall go, and whatever I shall command you, you shall speak.
7 But Yahweh said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for to whoever I shall send you, you shall go, and whatever I shall command you, you shall speak.
1 Samuel, Chapter 3
1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), 3 and the lamp of God hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple, where the ark of God was; 4 Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” 5 He ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
He said, “I didn’t call; lie down again.”
He went and lay down. 6 Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!”
Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
He answered, “I didn’t call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him. 8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”
11 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever.”
15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son!”
He said, “Here I am.”
17 He said, “What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.”
18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him.
He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”
He said, “I didn’t call; lie down again.”
He went and lay down. 6 Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!”
Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
He answered, “I didn’t call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him. 8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”
Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”
11 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever.”
15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son!”
He said, “Here I am.”
17 He said, “What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.”
18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him.
He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”
I firmly believe that God has a plan for each and every one of us. Some of us will respond and others never will. But God knows us and has known us before our birth. Eventually, we, like Samuel, will have the opportunity to respond (providing of course, that we are not prenatally murdered). Listen, look, learn and reply- God wants to use those who will do these things!!! Today, we have the choice to ignore God or listen; try the latter, you may just hear something wonderful. One last thing- listen to the video again- you will be glad you did!!!
Your Friend,
Gary
PS. Thank you for sending me this video, Bruce!!!! You absolutely made my day!!!!
G.