Sunday "sermon" about quicksand
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Join Date: Apr 2010
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Sunday "sermon" about quicksand
Last week I happened to go with my husband to a new church he was interested in going to--it was a church my son had attended, whose pastor wound up officiating at my MIL's funeral a few weeks ago. Anyway, AH really liked this pastor, so we went.
The sermon was OK, but he kind of built it around the idea that trials and tribulations we suffer are there for new growth, new good things. He used the analogy of suffering trials as "pruning the tree," cutting off the dead stuff so the new healthy stuff can grow.
The middle of the sermon was just about some of the church's needs and how he had faith that things would be OK..
But then he looked at his notes, and said, "Hmm, I can't read my writing.. well, to close, let me just say..." And this is where the message seemed to come from left field--it had NO relationship with the rest of the sermon, but I felt like it hit me between the eyes....
"...let me just say, if someone is sinking in quicksand, don't get in the quicksand with them to save them. If they fall through the ice, the worst thing you can do is walk out on the ice to save them. If anyone is trying is trying to pull you off your firm foundation in Jesus Christ [of course you could substitute your HP of choice], let God prune back the tree, and the healthy growth will appear."
I know I have read similar analogies (can't remember which SR poster talked about the person trying to hold on to someone hanging off a cliff), but it always is refreshing to hear, and it's refreshing to hear it where you least expect it.
The sermon was OK, but he kind of built it around the idea that trials and tribulations we suffer are there for new growth, new good things. He used the analogy of suffering trials as "pruning the tree," cutting off the dead stuff so the new healthy stuff can grow.
The middle of the sermon was just about some of the church's needs and how he had faith that things would be OK..
But then he looked at his notes, and said, "Hmm, I can't read my writing.. well, to close, let me just say..." And this is where the message seemed to come from left field--it had NO relationship with the rest of the sermon, but I felt like it hit me between the eyes....
"...let me just say, if someone is sinking in quicksand, don't get in the quicksand with them to save them. If they fall through the ice, the worst thing you can do is walk out on the ice to save them. If anyone is trying is trying to pull you off your firm foundation in Jesus Christ [of course you could substitute your HP of choice], let God prune back the tree, and the healthy growth will appear."
I know I have read similar analogies (can't remember which SR poster talked about the person trying to hold on to someone hanging off a cliff), but it always is refreshing to hear, and it's refreshing to hear it where you least expect it.
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
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The one I've heard most often relates to the aircraft safety warnings. When the oxygen masks drop, put your own on before helping small children or others. You're no good to ANYBODY (including yourself) if you're in the soup with them.
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