John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Below, in italics, is taken from a friend’s Facebook share. Following is my answer.
A man is driving down the road and his car breaks down near a monastery. He goes to the monastery, knocks on the door, and says, “My car broke down. Do you think I could stay the night?” The monks graciously accept him, feed him dinner, even fix his car. As the man tries to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound. A sound unlike anything he’s ever heard before. The Sirens that nearly seduced Odysseus into crashing his ship comes to his mind. He doesn’t sleep that night. He tosses and turns trying to figure out what could possibly be making such a seductive sound. The next morning, he asks the monks what the sound was, but they say, “We can’t tell you. You’re not a monk.” Distraught, the man is forced to leave. Years later, after never being able to forget that sound, the man goes back to the monastery and pleads for the answer again. The monks reply, “We can’t tell you. You’re not a monk. “The man says, “If the only way I can find out what is making that beautiful sound is to become a monk, then please, make me a monk.” The monks reply, “You must travel the earth and tell us how many blades of grass there are and the exact number of grains of sand. When you find these answers, you will have become a monk.” The man sets about his task. After years of searching he returns as a gray-haired old man and knocks on the door of the monastery. A monk answers. He is taken before a gathering of all the monks.” In my quest to find what makes that beautiful sound, I traveled the earth and have found what you asked for: By design, the world is in a state of perpetual change. Only God knows what you ask. All a man can know is himself, and only then if he is honest and reflective and willing to strip away self-deception. “The monks reply, “Congratulations. You have become a monk. We shall now show you the way to the mystery of the sacred sound. “The monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, “The sound is beyond that door.” The monks give him the key, and he opens the door. Behind the wooden door is another door made of stone. The man is given the key to the stone door and he opens it, only to find a door made of ruby. And so it went that he needed keys to doors of emerald, pearl and diamond. Finally, they come to a door made of solid gold. The sound has become very clear and definite. The monks say, “This is the last key to the last door.” The man is apprehensive to no end. His life’s wish is behind that door! With trembling hands, he unlocks the door, turns the knob, and slowly pushes the door open. Falling to his knees, he is utterly amazed to discover the source of that haunting and seductive sound……But, of course, I can’t tell you what it is because you’re not a monk.
I know what it is! I have heard the call since I was a child. I did not know what it was. The call haunted me and I had found no rest. Then the cause of the call brought many people into my life to help lead me to the source of the call. It is the call that was sent out since before the beginning of time. The call persists, never diminishes, and never grows stronger. It never grows stronger because it was perfect from the start.
Finally, I also could no longer resist and so I yielded. The doors were doors within. The keys were guarded, but shared, by those who knew the source of the call. The keys were created by the eternal one. The keys were all made of the same composition. Miraculously their composition were pieces of His love that had taken on the form of the physical. All the keys were uniquely shaped to fit in unique locks. The shapes of the locks could be matched together to form one grand lock. The keys likewise were like a huge interlocking puzzle and the result of putting them together formed one grand key. The grand key opened the opened the grand lock. When the grand lock was opened using the key made from love, then the purpose and goal of all mankind was discovered. It was one I had heard about but had resisted. The answer to the call was simple and manifest to all. In fact it was found to be in all the world that surrounds mankind. It was found in what sustains mankind. The locks had been made from what had been my hard heart. The keys were formed from the love of the one who loves. They opened the locks to bring me to the one who loves. The one who loves knows where the complete peace and calm of my soul resides. It is with the one who perfectly love.
Perhaps I should not have shared all the story, but I have only revealed the source, but have not completed the journey for you. All must heed the call, the cry, from He who loves. All must follow the call and travel one’s own path. Anyone can tell you to follow the call and to travel the path, but the Answer is found only at the end of each one’s individual path. I will give you the name of the One who loves. It will cause some to run to the One. Others, will stop and walk away. The name at the end of those who heed the beckoning call is Jesus, the Son of God. He calls to all. Some will hear and come to Him. Sadly, most will not. So the testimony of my life is for all to hear, to listen, and to let His love be the key that opens the locks, or the lock. The locks for those of us who hear, but want to resist and only to come later. Or the lock for those who hear and at once use the big key to find the One who loves. You see my friends, Jesus is always the answer!
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.