_______________________________________________________________________
Soul-The Eye of the Body
_______________________________________________________________________ Soon after dusk, Thomas hastened to leave the forest for his home. Against the normal practice, others had already left. Somehow an odd uneasiness gripped his mind. It was probably the first day in his life that he refrained from unloading all his miseries on others and gripe about God. That is because he was coming alone that day unaccompanied by others. It was a small wonder that those who had seen him shouting with joy on the occasions when the Lord blessed him, found it amusing to see him fretting about his bad times, unable to put up with his suffering. As the rain bearing clouds began to obscure his passage, he was unable to proceed at his usual fast pace. The rain too started just as he feared. It was a forest terrain with small brooks and briars spread along his way home. Though his legs made a steady progress, quite indescribable thoughts coursed through his mind. What if there is no one around to talk out, there is at least the heart to lament without restraint! Forgetting the times when the Lord blessed him, he was now bewailing his miseries. 'Is it too much for the Lord to do some good to me?,' he was grumbling to himself. As darkness enveloped, his legs and thoughts traveled in different directions and he slowly lost the track. It was a narrow path rarely trodden by anybody. He had to reach out and feel the height, length and breadth of those thorny bushes in order to find the path. Because of the eerieness of the night, he was attempting to concentrate his mind and with great difficulty tried to find the right track. Stretching his left hand forward to move aside the briars and carefully covering the eyes with the other hand to protect from the thorns, somehow he managed to locate the right track. He was not mindful of the thorn marks on his hand here and there which resulted as he tried to cover his face from the thorns. He consoled himself saying, 'Fortunately I had blocked the thorns with my hands. Otherwise my eyes would have been harmed'. At this, a question arose in his mind. Aren't eyes and arms, the organs of the same body? Wouldn't pricking the hands and pricking the eyes, both result in pain? Then why should I have placed my hands in front of my face preferring to be pricked by the thorns on my hands than on my eyes? Soon he found the answer. From that day, Thomas resolved to refrain from bemoaning his losses, suffering and bodily travails with others. He reached that decision, because he realized that when he is ready to allow his hands to be harmed for the sake of this worldly eyes, there is nothing wrong in losing anything in order to save the soul from pain in this age and in the age to come. Yes, now only the eye is important to Thomas. Dear brother who reads this! Do you go around telling others about the afflictions of your life? Or, are you mindful of your soul alone and worried about saving it whatever be the afflictions that you have to face in this life? Woe to the one who loses his eyes in order to protect his arms! You will be at a pathetic state if you fail to protect your soul for the sake of this worldly affairs! It will be good if you prefer to bear the pain in your hands rather than losing your eyesight, pricked by the thorns. If you go on subjecting your mind to constant worries, whenever the devil puts you through bodily travails, your soul be weary. If you grow weary in times of troubles, how are you going to receive God's grace? Therefore glorify God in times of your afflictions so that the devil is put to shame. Whatever be the sufferings in this world, save your soul. Praise God who saved your soul. You alone are the surety for your soul. "Ebenezer. 'Thus far the Lord has helped us' " (I Sam 7:12)
____________________________________________________________________________
Back to List of Christianity Topics | Comprehensive Christianity Page |SALVATION
FAITH & ENCOURAGEMENT | OVERCOMING TEMPTATION | CHURCH AND ITS FOUNDATION
Christianity Bible Study Real Audio Quick Download Sermons
Gospel Music and Songs and Large Sermon Audios | Java and Animated Graphic Links
cover page of NEW JERUSALEM NEWS | Other Links
Join Newsgroup|Foundation of the Bible, Church, Christians and Christianity|Prayer Requests
Testimony | This article was published by Chief Pastor N. Lazar, New Jerusalem Church | Photograph
___________________________________________________________________________
Free! New Jerusalem News Magazine! magazine@njcnews.org (Subject: Magazine Request) Please Provide Mailing ADDRESS (name, street/PO, city, state, zip, country) or you can call Daniel Christodoss at Tel:423-694-0664 or write to Daniel Christodoss, 8709 Fox Lonas Road, Knoxville, TN 37923, USA .
