Openness to the Lord and the Experience of Lourdes
Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Trexler ChDD
How many of us can say that we are truly open to the Lord? Before you answer that question, ask yourself if you are open to anyone? How many of us carry around with us feelings that are only known to us. Feelings that we don’t want to share with others, maybe because we would be embarrassed, or maybe because we have done something that we shouldn’t have, or feelings that we would never share because we wouldn’t fit in, or be admired, or even loved? So how can we be open to anyone, let alone to the Lord?
I would like to share with you a story that I found in a book entitled A Well Built Faith, by Joe Paprocki.
“A stunt man was thrilling crowds gathered at the Niagara Falls, making his way across a tightrope that stretched from one end of the Falls to the other, while riding a unicycle and carrying another person on his shoulders! As he and his passenger successfully dismounted on solid ground, the crowd broke into wild applause. The stunt man thanked the crowd and asked, “How many of you truly believe that I can do that again?” Having just witnessed the amazing stunt, everyone in the crowd raised their hand. The stunt man then mounted his unicycle and pointed to his shoulders asking, “All right, then, who’s next?””
In order to be open with someone, you first have to enter into a relationship with that individual. And, in that relationship you have to believe in that person, you have to trust in them. This is very difficult for most of us. Are we ready to get on that person’s shoulders and allow them to carry us with them to get to the other end of the Falls? Are you ready to get on God’s shoulders and let him carry us with him on this journey of life that He has prepared for us? We need to trust in God first, and then we can be open to Him. With that trust, we will experience so much that He can only give to us…..truth, understanding, forgiveness, salvation, and most of all, His unconditional LOVE for YOU!
As our pilgrims now begin their journey to this holy place called Lourdes, may they, and all of us, enter or renew our relationship with Jesus. Put your faith…..put your trust…..put your hope in Him. Your will never regret it!
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