The Parabolic Bump In The Night

Michael Card, a Christian music artist and Bible teacher, said something I often ponder.
Your life is a parable.
He often says to listen to the story of your life.

Paul, the apostle, wrote, You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. (2 Corinthians 3:2)

The parabolic life.
Do we take the time to listen to the parable of our life?

I had just gone to bed.
My husband was away on business.
My youngest daughter had gone to bed.
I was in that wonderful state right before sleep.

I heard the crash.
I jumped out of bed and opened the door.
Everything in the hallway was fine.
My daughter’s door was closed, so she probably was asleep and didn’t hear it.

I went downstairs.
Everything looked normal; nothing was out of place; nothing had fallen over.
I went down the basement and found everything just fine.
I was confused.

I know I heard the sound and it came from inside the house.
I walked into the living room one last time before going to bed.
There next to my grand piano was a picture that had fallen off the wall.
It was lying upside down; it had chipped some paint on the wall but it was still intact.

It is a framed, numbered print that I purchased years ago.
The print is called, A Firm Foundation.
The artist is C. Michael Dudash.
You must look long and hard before you see how profound the painting really is.

Also, referred to as The Patriot Pastor, it is a picture of a man in the founding era.
He stands stately, looking out of a window, deep in thought.
On the table behind him is the Declaration of Independence and a Bible.
There is also a quill pen, an ink bottle, and his spectacles.

His hat is in his hands and the American flag is folded beside him.
Nothing out of the ordinary until you really look.
As you look out the window, from his vantage point you see a cityscape.
A modern cityscape, with skyscrapers in the distance.

The contrast of the scene inside and the scene outside is profound but easily missed.
Did this man just sign the Declaration?
Was he about to sign this important document?
What was he thinking about as he looked out the window?

More than likely, he was thinking about us.
He was thinking about all those who would come after him.
All of those people who would benefit from the sacrifice he was willing to make.
Maybe he was thinking about the truth of the last line of the Declaration.

And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

Willing to lay his life, his fortune, and his sacred honor on the line for us.
The artist captured the past inside the room and the future outside the window.
How appropriate.
The man was looking ahead to something better; a visionary who knew it was worth it.

I went back to bed after inspecting the picture.
There was a parable here.

Many are ready to throw up their hands and give up on our nation.
It is hopeless, people say.
Thankfully, the Founders never felt that way.
If they had, they never would have signed the Declaration and pledged their very lives.

My picture fell off the wall all by itself.
No one was near it.
The fastener on the back of the picture just fell off; it was lying next to the frame.
The picture is perfectly fine; nothing is broken or scratched.

Yes, things seem to be deteriorating at a rapid pace.
But look out the window.
Can you imagine all who will come after you?
The ones that come after you will benefit from your sacrifice now.

My picture did not break.
All is not hopeless.
We stand on the shoulders of the ones who came before.
We stand on their shoulders with our hat in our hands.

We look out.
What do we see?
Futility? Hopelessness? Despair?
No! In Christ, we see HOPE!

The Bible next to the Declaration is the key.
The Lord is sovereign over our future.
We know that all we can do is the part that He has called us to do.
All we can do is be faithful.

My picture did not break.
My picture fell with a loud crash.
It chipped some paint on the wall as it fell, but it is in one piece.
It is not destroyed.

The hook on the back of the frame was weak and gave way.
It could not hold the weight of the frame any longer.
It needs to be repaired.
It needs to be fortified.

The framed print will go back on the wall where it was hanging before.
It will be stronger because of its brokenness.
Now we know where it was weak.
Now we know what we need to do to make it strong again.

All is not hopeless.
Do not despair.
Others have gone before us and did not give up.
They pressed in closer to God and did what He called them to do.

So must we!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Do not grow weary.
Do not lose heart.
Look out and think of those who will come after; think of those who came before.
Stand on the Rock that is Christ; stand on His Word.

Be thankful for what is broken so He can repair it.
It will indeed be stronger for the mending.

 

2 responses to “The Parabolic Bump In The Night”

1. You touched my heart today. This was a message I needed to hear. Thank you & thank the Lord for bringing this to me. Blessings to you!

   Reply

   • Diane,
     I am delighted that you were blessed. God, in His Sovereignty, always amazes me. The little stories, the ones that I cannot imagine anyone appreciating, are usually the ones HE uses to touch hearts. HE gets all the glory!
     Gina

     Reply