Benches, Rocking Chairs, and the Secrets They’ve Heard

Benches seem to say “Sit on me and rest for a while.”
If they could talk they probably would have a lot of stories to tell. Lot’s of secrets to embrace. Lot’s of gossip to pass on. Today of course we must know they’re probably all bugged by the CIA. At least, according to the latest news we must assume that they are.
But apart from government secrets, how much sadness was shared with them; how much happiness?
I love to see a bench with a single tree next to it. It reminds me that we are ultimately alone. We came into the world as single individuals and will die that way. At least that’s how it looks. Observing the world and it’s beauty, a clear thinking individual must acknowledge there is a Designer behind it all. Looking at the pain and sadness one must wonder if this great Designer even likes us.
When a tornado blows through your town, demolishing every thing in sight, do we think, God loves us? No, quite the opposite.
But observing our inner most thoughts a clear thinking person must also acknowledge that, “We’re not good people.”
Today there are so many preachers and positive thinking motivators telling us lies about ourselves. They tell us about all of the power we have within ourselves if we only use it. Then this angry God will bless us. They tell us we can conquer every problem in our lives, they tell us the ultimate goal in life is to be happy.
But the Holy Scriptures tell us a different story.
They tell us that mankind is full of sin.
They tell us that God is love, but He’s angry at sin. They tell us that in His great love for His creation, for His property (for that is what we are), He decided to punish Himself for our sin instead of us, which is why the Son of God came down from heaven for us men and for our salvation. This is why God came in the flesh and died on the cross. This is Who Jesus is, the One who forgives our sins.
This earth is angry at us but not because of global warming. It’s because we are at odds with our Creator.
It is because of this that loneliness seems to be status quo. But those in Christ are never alone. There is now peace with God in Christ. Christ is with us always and pain has an expiration date.
This is a good truth to pass on the next time you share a bench with someone.
And if the CIA is listening in, maybe they’ll repent.
One could only hope.