Boomerang Words

Soul Snack 88/12 ... Boomerang Words

A mist obstructed dawn drifted across the nearby mountain peaks. Lightly filtered beams radiated freshness and hope into his simple cabin. The occupant was still asleep, alone as always.

He had dwelt in remoteness for many years; the brutal scars of guerrilla warfare were too slowly healing. Solitude was his constant safety, and remoteness his present joy.

As always - today he would still do battle. The warfare of loneliness was relentless. Still the pain of his past would again today color his present and demand his future... or would it?

Rolling back the ruffled bed-sheets, his warm bare feet landed on cold unpolished timber. Embers barely glowed but the fire soon reignited. This mountain retreat was both his salvation and his sin.

He had received and known so much from the Lord long ago, yet given little for too long.

The fire now was well alight, stale coffee on the re-boil. Today his life would change forever. Today he would lose loneliness.

His second cup had just been poured while the bread cradled over a makeshift toaster on his fire became toast. Breakfast was well on the way.

In this engulfing silence he reflected that his last visitor was nearly three years ago, a ranger warning of possible wildfires that never eventuated.

Startled by a desperate sounding knock on the door his reflections were interrupted. He did not like visitors. This graceless indulgent hermit was about to remember Jesus’ words that he had deeply buried within.

They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (Matt 25:44-45)

Before him stood a bedraggled and gaunt teenage boy, this time he invited a stranger to come in.

Finally Jesus' words of love were stronger than his own self protective love. He would no longer make decisions from fear but faith.

The Words of Christ will always return to even the most troubled sinner.

Today’s Soul Snippet:

The world was never created to be apart from God and neither were you.