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Or forever hold your peace
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Saturday of the First Week of Easter
Acts 4:20
Peter and John spoke to the judges and high priests, “It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”
Jack is in kindergarten, and so he’s busy all day at school. But when I picked him up Thursday afternoon, we went fishing. He told his teacher, Miss Sims, and she hoped he would catch a big fish. We tried.
We had nice big Canadian nightcrawlers. He liked one of them especially, so we didn’t use it for bait. I remember dissecting earthworms in high school biology. Lots of segments. Pretty fascinating creatures.
As we were leaving we stopped by the open window of a truck that just pulled in to the lake parking lot. An older black man with a wonderful white goatee sat in the truck. “You do any good?” The man had a quiet spirit. His voice was calm.
“We are in the business of drowning worms, and we did that very well. But … no fish.”
“I use the artificial stuff. I usually catch a few.” I couldn’t believe my ears. I’m sure my eyes were suddenly wide.
“Here?” I asked, amazed.
“Yep. Been coming here for a few years now. I catch a few bass, and some crappie.” He looked in the back seat at Jack. “You’re fishin’ with the right guy there,” he told me.
“He talks a lot.” I think I heard somewhere (from Margaret’s mom?) that the fish are scared away from our bait when we talk a lot.
“That’s OK. Keep bringing him.”
Just a few words from the man of quiet spirit. I made two resolves: to return to this particular pond near Jack and Aly’s house, and to bring them with me. Over and over. We’ll sit under the weeping willow tree, and talk as much and as loud as we want to. I want to have my own testimony – about the water, about my grandkids, and about the miracle of catching fish.
“It is impossible for me not to speak of what I’ve seen and heard.” That is already true of Jack. It was true of the man in the pickup truck. I want it to be true of me, too.
You are so good, Lord, and your mercy endures forever. I give thanks to you, for you have answered me when I call. You open the gates of justice, and I give thanks to you, O Lord. We shall not die, but live, and declare your works O God. It is impossible for us not to speak.
http://www.christiancounselingservice.com/archived_devotions.php?article_id=1387
