To quote a not so famous author… “It’s been a helluva couple of years!” He had been up and down the road in these past two plus years and it seemed like no matter how hard he tried or how much he prayed… the bad stuff just kept winning!
He got to the place where he began to doubt everything that had been holding him steady for more than half a century! Every time those closest to him tried to help all of their effort on his behalf, their prayers, their tears… nothing seemed to make any difference.
Then one day as he sat trying to pen the next chapter to a book he was engaged to write he found there were no more words. What had come so easy to him for so any years were as if the well was dry… he had nothing left to say.
As he sad, frustrated, discouraged with no fight left, an old man from a poor upbringing, deep in the Appalachian hills who had maybe a elementary school level of education walked by, pulled up a chair next to this man and just sat. For what seemed like the longest time. Didn’t say a word.
Finally, the author looked over at the man and said, “Is there something I can do for you?”
“No. Thank ya kindly. I’m fine.”
The author went back to staring at the blank page in front of him and in exasperation said out loud to no one in particular… “I give up.”
The old man who had appeared to be sleeping slowly raised his head and said, “What did you say son?”
“I said I give up! I’m tired of trying no matter what I do everything turns out wrong.”
The old man leaned in toward the author and looked him in the eye. The old man’s face showed a lot of years of a hard life, eyes so worn out, it was like he had all that he could take. And he said, “Did you hear about that poor, teenage girl, got pregnant ‘fore she was married… she had dream that her baby was going to be somebody really special. She got encouragement once in awhile that maybe just maybe this little boy might be special. He was to her anyway. Not much after the boy was a teenager, the baby daddy died and Momma was all alone again, poor, more kids now and nothin’ seemed to go her way. Her boy he grew up and took off like most do… oh he’d stop by once in awhile and check on her but he was gone a lot. She heard rumors that he had either been arrested or he was wanted for somethin’… She still loved though and she believed he was gonna be something special. Still her heart hurt every day when he wasn’t there and she didn’t hear much other than he was in trouble again. Finally she heard he was arrested and whatever it was he had done he was gonna be executed for it. Her heart crashed. She was as broken as any mother could ever be. Everything she’d ever hoped for was gone. She was ready to give up. She even showed up on the day he was to be killed and she couldn’t talk to him, couldn’t get close to tell him just one more time how much she loved him. Then as she looked out across the crowd, she could see her son lift his head and look toward her… She wasn’t sure but she thought he smiled and he said… “Sunday’s comin'”
With that the old man leaned back in his seat and said, “You know, I’ve had kind of a tough life. Most of my troubles I brought on myself.” With tears streaming down his cheeks, he went on… “But I remembered that story about that young girl who got pregnant and every time I’d feel like the bad stuff was winning I just remembered her son’s not so last words to her… Sunday’s comin’,,,”
With that the old man got up and walked away. The author sat there staring out after him. He closed his laptop and set it aside and just stared out toward the horizon as the sun began to set. As he turned back he saw that the old man had left a small New Testament sitting on his chair. The author picked it up and read the note scribbled in a simple hand inside… Be Ready Sunday’s coming.
Doc Riggs' Ministry Minute 