The Parable of the Gardener
The Parable of the Gardener
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> On 17oct rapt replied: Well, textman, after reading your
> last post, and your definition of what a prophet of God
> is, let us know the truth: Have you ever healed anyone of
> anything like the TRUE Prophet did? Or was your post a
> merely parody to amuse us with?
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textman answers: Yes and no. That is the short version of
the answers to your two questions. But I suppose that a little
elaboration is called for here. Hence the long version:
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Now it is said that there is in the land a certain diligent
gardener who loves the Lord. When the spring comes, the
gardener goes out and prepares the soil. And when the time
is right he places the seeds in nice straight rows; each row
having a different type of seed, so that many edible plants
may grow side by side in the same good earth, yet each in its
proper place. As the tiny plants are well watered and fed by
the sun and skies, so they grow and ripen and care not for the
gardener or his plans. And although the gardener labors hard
to keep the garden healthy and strong, some of the plants fall
victim to the ways of the world. Some are choked by weeds,
others are ravaged by grasshoppers, others are knocked down
by strong winds, others are eaten by mice or worms, and
still more fall to the evil hunger of "doz rabbeets", and so on
and so forth. Yet despite all the chaos and confusion of the
never-ending battle, some few plants manage to survive,
while a tiny fraction even seem to thrive, despite all the
hostility and adversity (or perhaps because of it).
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Needless to say, the meaning of this parable is not immediately
evident in its totality, since a literal reading will not
(because it cannot) discover the significance of these verses.
But if I give you the key to unlock the mystery, then the truth
gradually breaks forth. Suppose, therefore, that the cyber-
prophet is like unto this diligent gardener, and the little
seeds are his many and varied prophetic epistles that are
sown into the good earth (ie. cyber-space).
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The different types of plants represent the different types
of minds and hearts that receive the prophetic word; each
understanding it in his or her own way, according to the inner
light granted to each by the Father of Lights. But there are
still many and various factors that can influence each reader,
and how they respond to these epistles. Those knocked down
by strong winds are those who are too committed (to some
doctrine or theology or teacher, etc) to accept these messages
in good faith.
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Those eaten by rabbits are those who reject the epistles
because the author does not measure up to their personal
expectations and demands as to what a prophet must be and
do. Those eaten by mice and worms are those who are too
preoccupied with the world and its worries to even ask what
these epistles are really saying. It's not that they don't believe,
or don't want to believe, it's just that they have no time or
energy to ask themselves hard questions. :doh:
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On the other hand, some readers come only to be amused.
They are very strong and certain in their unbelief, and love to
laugh at the Lord as much as they can. Yet even these horribly
corrupted persons are receiving some few drops of the Spirit of
Truth into their hearts, such that the Word begins to stir deep
within them, and often compels them to hunger for more. For
the Lord's many truths work in many many mysterious ways;
ways often unnoticed, and more often simply ignored. These
are the ones who constantly battle with the weeds of doubt
and disbelief. No doubt they are legion, poor sods; but still
precious unto the Lord.
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Then again there are those that thrive in the face of the
world's unbelief. They do not care to judge the wisdom of the
Lord in choosing this unworthy vehicle. They do not care to
test the prophet to see if his claims be valid or not. Rather,
they rejoice in the Lord, and give thanks for the abundant
blessings and riches thus bestowed only unto the eyes of pure
faith. They are a sweet fragrance unto God, fer sure. :kiss:
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And so on and so forth. For you can see by now that this is
simply a parable of faith. For it is not the gardener who
causes the plants to grow or wither, to bloom or fade, to
live or to die. All of these things, all of these miracles,
are entirely out of my hands, and in the hands of Providence.
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All things, then, are as they should be. Amen. :angel:
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- the almost semi-fragrant one - textman ;>
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P.S. "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge,
And did not choose the fear of the LORD.
They would not accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof" (Proverbs 1:28-30).
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