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“And Jesus called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them.., "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life?” Mark 8:34-37
THE OLD man was nervous. His seat seemed to move sideways. Eb would tense his grip on the arm rests each time he felt movements. Feeling the tightness, his grand-daughter then would look at him gently. She’d look at his face, weathered with eighty five years of wear and tear, and she would squeeze his hand. She repeated… “It will soon be over. It’s almost time.” The words hearkened his memory back to his youthful days, when he’d heard his father say the same |
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Behold the Sparrow |
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words… “Ebenezer, it’s almost time. His father was an evangelical preacher whose family had immigrated from Wales during the founding days of this nation. His father’s name was Ebenezer too, as was his father’s.., and so on, and so on. Generations had come and gone, but now his mother had to put her foot down. . . “You can call him Ebenezer if you’d like, but he’ll always be my little Eb.” So it was when Eb grew up after the depression. His mother made sure only a few of his closest acquaintances were allowed to know the fullness of his given name. |
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Jesus said… “Truly.., Truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where ever you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (John 21:18) |
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This article is offered in memory of Bob Cochran (left), an Army Air Corps POW veteran who served during WWII, whose life and love offered up in Christian faith enhanced both his church and family. |
