Sunday, August 16, 2009

Taking the Bible Literally

Heard a story this morning of a woman who took the Bible literally. Her son tried to convince his eighty something, King James embracing, live-alone mother that she didn’t need to enter into her closet and shut the door to pray; “God would understand.” But as soon as he left, as a moth to a flame, she made her way to her secret place. Years had taken family and friends, but in her closet she continued what time and circumstance could never end; her sweet hour of prayer.

And as the hour ended, she reached for the door knob to help herself up. It came off in her hand! She spent that night in the closet and most of the remaining day until her son’s unanswered calls prompted his return. Quickly searching, he found her in the all so familiar place.

Perhaps she should have taken her son’s advice. Perhaps she was taking His word far too literally. But then she may have never been rewarded with so long a night communing with the Father.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:6).

No comments: