JUST THOT U’D LIKE 2 NO…

Once upon a time there was a stonecutter, who worked very hard each day with his hammer and chisel cutting and shaping rocks. One day as he buckled under the blazing hot sun, he thought to himself, “Oh, I wish I could be as powerful and great as the sun”. Then all of a sudden, by some magical power, he was the sun, shining brightly down upon the earth. But before he could relish too long in his new glory and power, a large dark cloud came between him and the earth and blocked his powerful rays. As he looked at that cloud, he thought to himself, “That cloud is more powerful than I. I wish I were that cloud,” All of a sudden, he was. To show his power, he poured rain, lightning, and thunder down on the earth. Soon he was all weathered out, but the stream below had become a huge, mighty river sweeping trees and boulders downstream. He thought to himself, “I wish I could be that river.” All of a sudden, you guessed it, he was the river. He uprooted trees and flooded valleys. Nothing could stand in his way, except one large rock. No matter how much he pounded it with surging raging water, it didn’t move. As he looked upon that rock, he thought to himself, “I wish I could be that rock.” Presto, he was the rock, standing solid, defying the power of the river. As time passed the river subsided and again became a small stream. The rock stood alone on a dry river bed. One day that great rock heard the chink, chink of a hammer and chisel and realized he was being shaped by a stonecutter. Yes, you guessed it. He thought to himself, “I wish I were a stonecutter” and Presto, he was. (Aesop’s Fable)

Ever watch a dog chase its tail? Sure you have. Round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows. Even if the dog succeeds, what will it do with its tail in its mouth? Spit it out. He can’t eat his tail. There is no satisfaction in having one’s tail in one’s mouth.

Sound familiar? Look at us. Round and round we go in this rat race of life looking for something to give us contentment, something to fill the emptiness inside, something to satisfy our hunger for significance. Maybe if I had a new car, or a new house, a different job, another relationship. We try indulging ourselves in pleasure; food, sex, entertainment, travel. We chase after that illusory pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And every now and then one of us sits on top of the heap, pretty proud, he’s got his tail in his mouth. All the while knowing it doesn’t satisfy. The Rolling Stones sang about this years’ ago. Remember the song: “I can’t get no satisfaction.” Truth is we won’t rest until we do.

The answer? You guessed it. Seek after God. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ. The God-shaped vacuum inside of us can only be filled by God Himself. Everything and everyone else that you devote yourself to will only possess you and eventually destroy you. Just ask my uncle who sold himself to money and the good life. He lost his wife, his children and finally his business. Jesus says to you, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” He also says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be thirsty.” He’s not talking about our stomachs. He’s talking about our hungry and thirsty souls. Think about it. Aren’t you tired of going in circles? Who wants his tail in his mouth anyway? Write or call me with your questions or comments.