Swimming to shore, Dennis lost a shoe to one of many swarming sharks. Oh, how good did sand between the toes feel to potential shark bait. One soggy, yet not drowned, and not eaten Dennis Dense staggered up the beach sands, turned around and sat upon a rock. And there upon that rock, gasping for air, as he sat starring out at those hungry fins still churning the salt water, he thanked lady luck. Whack!!! A not so errant coconut did smack the head of Mr. Dennis B. Dense. "Owww!" Reflex action propelled Dennis to his feet and rubbing his head, he thought out loud, "Saved from sharks and drowning, then murdered by a coconut!" In fact on that small island no matter where Dennis stepped, it seemed he tripped over another coconut. And for no reason, apparent to Mr. Dense, he began to toss coconuts into a not so neat pile.
Without food and water that first day twas a bit uncomfortable, the second day unbearable, the third day desperate: the swollen tongue, the burning throat, the body ravaged by dehydration. "At least I'm not sunburned," thought Dennis, as he sat neath the coconut tree, on the rock, next to his pile of pesky coconuts. And as he kicked yet another fallen coconut toward the pile, Mr. Dense slipped off the rock in a dead faint.
But by more than chance a boat load of Nuns happened by. True they were off their intended course and could not for the life of them figure out why. So as Christian missionaries do, they were lead to pray for guidance. And it came to pass, that while deep in that prayer, the nose of the boat gently nudged the sand of a certain beach, where lay a semi-conscious Dennis B. Dense neath the coconut tree, between the rock and his pile of coconuts.
Now... the Nuns knew that days divine purpose of being supposedly off course. More than mere chance had steered their boat. They lifted the limp body of Dennis Dense and leaned him against the rock. One young Nun attempted to bring a canteen to his lips, but the eldest Nun pushed it away. And under the coconut tree, she plucked up a coconut from the pile, cracked it open on the rock, then brought to the lips of Mr. Dense the sweet milk of that coconut.
"Tourists!" said the old Nun, as Dennis drank, "Sitting under the tree of life, at his feet a pile of fruit full of milk, and the Rock right here to crack it open, yet dying of thirst and hunger! Just like so much of humanity, just a pile of coconuts needing to open their eyes and their hearts."
Twas then that the young Nun plucked from her pocket the Bible. Out loud she read. And thus it came to pass, that by more than just chance Dennis was saved from death twice that day... by Jesus: The Rock of Salvation. Indeed, the lost had been found. Drinking coconut milk had saved the temporary earthly body of Dennis; drinking the spiritual milk of the Gospel saved his life eternal. And Dennis was no longer... just one... in just a pile of coconuts... (Numbers 20:8 KJV; 1st Corinthians 10:4 KJV; John 3:16 KJV)
To receive nourishment out of a coconut or the Bible you must open it... Why wait till near death to eat and drink? Be nourished by the words of faith (1st Timothy 4:6). Eat of the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). As newborns cry out for pure spiritual milk that you grow into the fullness of salvation (1st Peter 2:2-3).
By more than just chance does The Living God redeem those he loves... There are no coincidences in life... By divine design Jesus is the Rock of Salvation...
If any coconut heads are rolling about the sand of your neighborhood, you might share "Just a Pile of Coconuts."
https://pawpawcorner.blogspot.com/2013/04/just-pile-of-coconuts.html
1 comment:
What a wonderful metaphor, Forrest! How often is the answer right in front of us and yet we are not always ready to receive it. ;)
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