A Voyaging Ship
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea
and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small,
desert-like island. The two survivors, not knowing what
else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to
pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more
powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them
and stay on opposite sides of the island.
© 1998 madmother@webtv.net<
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The first thing they prayed for was food. The
next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his
side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The
other man's parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he
decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was
wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his
side of the land. On the other side of the island, the
second man had nothing. Soon the first man prayed for a
house, clothes, more food. The next day like magic, all of
these were given to him.
However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that
he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he
found a ship docked at his side on the island.
The first man boarded the ship with his wife and
decided to leave the second man on the island. He
considered the other man unworthy to receive God's
blessings, since none of his prayers had been
answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man
heard a voice from heaven booming: "Why are you leaving
your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one
who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers
were all unanswered and so he does not deserve
anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He
had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you
would not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me", the first man asked the voice, "what
did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
As seen in this light, it becomes easier for us
to share the blessings of prayer, whether these blessings
be material or moral. For all we know, these are not the
fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another person
secretly praying for us.
Unknown
The Burning Hut
The only survivor of a shipwreck
washed up on a small, uninhabited island.
He prayed feverishly for God to
rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for
help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a
little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the
elements, and to store his few possessions.
But then one day, after scavenging for food,
he arrived home to find his little hut in flames,
the smoke rolling up to the sky.
The worst had happened; everything was lost.
He was stung with grief and anger.
"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.
Early the next day, however, he was awakened by
the sound of a ship that was approaching the island.
It had come to rescue him.
"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary
man of his rescuers.
"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
Remember next time your little hut
is burning to the ground it just may be a smoke signal
that summons the grace of God...
Unknown
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