Thought for Saturday, April 14th

April 14, 2012

A Series of Spiritual Ponderings

With Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn

This here series may seem a bit peculiar to some of ya’ll folks: but then life itself can be a tad bit peculiar some of the time.  Over the next few days the writer of these here thoughts has decided to take a gander at some spiritual insights from the perspective of Tom and Huck, a couple of characters from Mr. Mark Twains novels.

Next

If’n You Got Some Experience – Make Some Use Of It

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Proverbs 3:1-8

    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9

Quote of the Day

“The most permanent lessons in morals are those which come, not of booky teaching, but of experience.” – Mark Twain

Today’s Thoughts and Insights:

“We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it – and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid.  She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again – and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one either.” – Mark Twain

Huck – Tom, do ya reckon we will ever have ‘nough experience at nothin’ – so as we can be good at somethin’?

Tom – What ya getting at Huck?

Huck – We’ll the widder was a lecturin’ me the other day bout how God lets us go through the intolerables of life so as to make us stronger and so as we can be better at stuff as we gets growed up.  Ya reckon she is right bout that?

Tom – Well the Widder is  down right smart bout most stuff.  And I reckon it might make a tolerable bit of sense to think if we have some ‘xperience at something, even if’n it weren’t no fun thing to learn at the time; it might make us better prepared for other things in the future or maybe make us better prepared to help somebody who might face somthin’ similar in the future.

Huck – Seems like a might bit of a painful way to go, if’n ya ask me.

Tom – Well Huck the thing is when it comes to spiritual stuff, we most often don’t bother to think of askin’ you for no opinion nor for any help.

Huck – I reckon ya don’t but if’n ya do I guess I better pay more attention to the widder and maybe learn myself a thang or two.

Today’s Prayer

Father, sometimes we think we’ve got it covered: when in reality the only way our experiences can be validated is if we surrender them to you.  Help me to allow you to work through my experiences and to use them to help me serve you better.

“It is from experiences, such as mine that we get our education in life.  We string them into jewels or into tin ware, as we may choose.

– Mark Twain

“I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken;

I’m accepted, you were condemned:

I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me,

Because you died and rose again.

Amazing love, How can it be

That you my King would die for me?

Amazing love, I know it’s true:

And it’s my joy to honor you,

In all I do, let me honor you. “

-  Lyrics from ‘Amazing Love’ by Billy James Foote