The wicker basket... Thanks Sarah Rapp!

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of


eastern Kentucky with his young grandson.



Each morning, Grandpa was up

early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His

grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he

could.



One day the grandson asked, 'Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you

but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I

close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?' The Grandfather

quietly

turned from putting coal in the stove and said, 'Take this old wicker

coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.'



The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before

he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You will

have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river

with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the

old

wicker basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told

his grandfather that it was 'impossible to carry water in a basket,' and he

went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of

water. I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying

hard

enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his

grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would

leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard,

but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of

breath, he said, 'See Papa, it's useless!'

'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.'

The boy looked at the basket and for t! he first time he realized that the

basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it

was clean.

'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not

understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you

from

the inside out.'



Moral of the wicker basket story: Take time to read a portion of God's

word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don't retain a word.

Thought for Today: God's Love is like the ocean, you can see its

beginnings but not its end.



I really like this story because I don't remember things like I used

to....but then I think God isn't concerned about my brain anyway, He's

more concerned about my heart .



The word of God it's written that he isn't worried about our success at

perfection, but more

interested in our unending attempt toward it, as long as we're trying, in

His eyes we're never failing.





"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves

and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear

from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land." 2 Ch 7:14



"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee."

Psalms 122:6