GOD, LOVE OF

“Nobel” Prize On Love Of God

 American financier-philanthropist John M. Templeton, a United Presbyterian elder, announced creation of a “Nobel prize” for religion worth $88,400 annually to a person of any faith who is deemed significantly “instrumental in widening man’s knowledge of the love of God.” The nine judges include World Council of Churches executive Eugene Carson Blake and Princeton seminary president James McCord.

—Christianity Today

Create Him!

 When God was about to create man, says a Jewish legend, He took into His counsel the angels that stood about his throne. “Create him not,” said the angel of Justice, “for if Thou dost he will commit all kinds of wickedness against his fellow men; he will be hard and cruel and dishonest and unrighteous.” “Create him not,” said the angel of Truth, “for he will be false and deceitful to his brother-man, and even to Thee.” “Create him not,” said the angel of Holiness, “he will follow that which is impure in Thy sight, and dishonor Thee to thy face.”

 Then stepped forward the angel of Mercy (God’s best beloved) and said: “Create him, our Heavenly Father for when he sins and turns from the path of right and truth and holiness I will take him tenderly by the hand, and speak loving words to him, and then lead him back to Thee.”

—J. A. Clarks

The Fifth Sparrow

 A little Spanish boy in Vigo who became a devout Christian was asked by an Englishman what had been the influence under which he acted. “It was all because of the odd sparrow,” the boy replied. “I do not understand,” said the Englishman in surprise. “What odd sparrow?”

 “Well, Senor, it is this way,” the boy said, “A gentleman gave me a Testament, and I read in one Gospel that two sparrows were sold for a farthing. And again in Luke, I saw, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings … ?” And I said to myself that Nuestro Senor (“our Lord”) Jesus Christ knew well our custom of selling birds. As you know, Sir, we trap birds, and get one chico for two but for two chicos we throw in an extra sparrow. That extra sparrow is only a make-weight, and of no account at all.

 “Now, I think to myself that I am so insignificant, so poor and so small that no one would think of counting me. I’m like the fifth sparrow. And yet, oh marvelous, Nuestro Senor says, “Not one of them is forgotten before God.” I have never heard anything like it, Sir. No one but He could ever have thought of not forgetting me.”

—King’s Business

God Counts Our Hair

 Christ said that the very hair on each person’s head are numbered. Some years ago, a German scientist counted the hairs on different human heads. He found that they vary in number, depending seemingly on the color. Thus, there are more on a head with black hair than red, on brown than black, on blond than brown. The black-haired woman has about 110,000 hairs on her head, and a blonde around 140,000.

 The average woman with a thick head of hair will lose up to 100 hairs a day. Such losses are increased somewhat if the hair is long and becomes entangled in the brush or comb. The average man, shaving every day, removes a beard about 1/64 inch in length. This means that between ages 20 and 65, he removes 23 feet of beard

God’s Extras

God could have made the sun to rise

Without such splendor in the skies;

He could have made the sun to set

Without a glory greater yet.

He could have made the corn to grow

Without the sunny, golden glow;

The fruits without those colors bright,

So pleasant to the taste and sight.

And caused the apple trees to bloom

Without the scent that doth perfume

Those dainty blossoms, pink and white.

That fill our hearts with sheer delight.

He could have made the ocean roll

Without such music for the soul—

The mighty anthem, loud and strong—

And birds without their clear, sweet song.

The charm of kittens’ dainty grace,

The dimples in a baby’s face—

All these are “extras” from His hand,

Whose love we cannot understand.

The God who fashioned flow’rs and trees,

Delights to give us things that please,

And all his handiwork so fair

His glory and His love declare.

Yes, He Who made the earth and skies

Gave “extras” for our ears and eyes,

And while my heart with rapture sings,

I thank Him for the “extra things.”

—Margaret K. Fraser

Chosen Before Birth

 An old woman, hearing of some preachers who dwelt on the doctrine of predestination, said: “Ah, I have long settled that point, for if God had not chosen me before I was born. I am sure He would have seen nothing in me to have chosen me afterward.”

—United Presbyterian

This Is How God Loves

 In St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, is a life-size, marble statue of Christ writhing in anguish on the cross. The statue is subscribed: “This is how God loved the world!”

Brokenhearted Father

 Among the first glimpses we get of our God is that of a Seeker: “Adam … Where art thou?” (Gen. 3:9). In commenting upon this question to his Bible class, a teacher said, “You can never be a preacher if you read it as though God were a policeman. Read it as though God were a brokenhearted Father looking for a lost child!”

—Al Bryant

His Love, Not Ours

 A minister remarked: “When Mary and Martha sent to Jesus their message, it was not, “Lord, he loveth Thee,” but, “Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick.”” It is not our imperfect love to Him that comforts us, but His perfect love to us.

—Christian Herald

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