Deaf, Dumb, and Blind...

There was a song, and if memory serves me at all, it was named 'The Pinball Wizard'.  It has been a long time since I have heard it, and memory is a poor staff for me to lean on, however...

 Have you ever felt like someone who is locked in their own world because they can not communicate?   On occasion most people have days that we feel like the Pinball Wizard--deaf, dumb, and blind. Living as it were in a world that goes on its way around us, and we're not able to move past a certain point. Like a bad dream, that doesn't end, it just goes on, and here we are--stuck.

The radio announcer Paul Harvey often used to tell a modern day parable called the parable of the birds  at the Christmas season.  The story goes that a man's wife and family went every year to a Christmas eve celebration at their church, but he decided he just couldn't go.  He couldn't believe the God becoming man story...  On Christmas eve after he bade them farewell a flock of birds flew against the side of his house during a snow storm.  He put on his warm clothing, turned the lights on in his warm barn, and attempted to shew them into the warmth and safety of the shelter, but to no avail.  After trying many different approaches he decided they were afraid of him, and if he could only become a bird in order to show them the way, to let them know he meant only good to them...
(the full story can be found under paul harvey parable of the birds).

2Timothy 4:16  "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge."



Paul before Nero--what a distressing situation to be in, and all forsook him.  This was not the the way he had envisioned his trip to Rome.  Yet as with Joseph in the Old Testament it looked to be a bad situation, but God used it for good. 
2Timothy 4:17  "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."
As the Apostle had written some time before--"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." 2Corinthians 12:9  The Lord stood with him and strengthened him.  Apostle Paul had the blessing to draw nearer to Christ, the word of the Gospel was preached, and the Gentiles had the blessing to hear it. 
2Timothy 4:18  "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  And at the last Paul was preserved unto the heavenly kingdom. 

Sometimes as we travel through the pea soup of life we become so wrapped up in the everyday living we fail to see the large panorama of events.  Communication is valuable to a point, but like the Pin Ball Wizard sometimes we have to close out those who would distract us from our focus, and watch those whom we allow to influence us. 

As with the parable of the birds, God is always wanting the best for us.  He doesn't want us to suffer needlessly.  Some things that happen are like the polishing cloth and an abrasive paste.  They make the finished product into something much more valuable.  It brings out the best in our character.
1Corinthians 3:13  "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is."

Like as the Apostle Paul was tried by difficult situations often in his life Christians are as well, and we must stay the course.  We must be faithful.

Revelation 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Halelujah~ what a Savior!