A man was trapped on his rooftop by the rising waters of a
flood. A fellow came over in a rowboat and called to the man, “Hop into my
boat! I’ll save you!” The stranded man refused, saying, “No – God will save
me!”
The water rose to the man’s knees, and along came a rescuer
in a motorboat. “Get in my boat! I’ll save you!” cried the boater. “No!” the
man on the roof replied. “God will save me!”
Soon after, the water was up to the man’s chest. A
helicopter with a sling suspended from it came next. “Grab onto the sling!”
called the pilot. “I’ll pull you up and save you!” As the man called, “No, God
will save me!” a wave swept him off the roof and he drowned.
As he entered into heaven, God greeted him, saying, “Welcome
to heaven! Glad to see you! Before I show you around and introduce you to some
of the angels, do you have any questions?”
“Well, yes Sir, as a matter of fact I do have one question.”
the man replied. “There I was stranded on my roof, with flood waters rising all
around me! Why didn’t you save me?”
“Well!” replied God. “I sent you two boats and a helicopter!
What more did you want?”
This is not original. I tell it to demonstrate that God’s
answer to our prayers might not be in the form we expect. If we pray for
health, perhaps we should eat right and exercise. If we pray for
riches, perhaps we should endeavor to get an education or a better job.
And if we pray for happiness, perhaps we should try to make others happy.
Are you standing on the roof with your list of “acceptable
forms” of God’s help? God neither thinks nor acts as we do and you may find you’ve
let the boats and helicopter go by as you wave your ‘list’. Don’t be the Man on
the Roof; be open to His ways…they are much higher and better than our own.
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