It was vacation time and Hanna , mother of four, was busy at home, with kids running around her for every little thing. One day she called all her four little ones near and as part of teaching them lessons from the bible gave them a small task.She gave each of them a piece of bread and said that whoever ate the bread without showing God first would win a prize.The children ran in four different directions enthusiastic to win the prize of the day.
The eldest of the four, 12 year old Akshay , returned tired after an hour and said,
“ Mother, I had the piece of bread that you gave hiding God , now today’s prize is for me” . Mother asked “ Okay..tell me where did you have it”.Akshay was quick to reply “I ran to the end of our backyard, climbed up the Pipal tree that was covered with leaves and I had the bread hiding beneath the leaves”“Oh my dear ..you had the bread but God saw you having it .Don’t you remember the story of sachai , who climbed up the fig tree to see Jesus and Jesus saw him hiding under the leaves of the tree.so you failed in today’s test”
By then they saw 10 year old Adith, coming slowly but happily . He exclaimed “ I had the bread at a place that I’m sure God wouldn’t have seen”.Mother asked “ Okay ..where did you have it”.Adith replied “ Mamma, don’t you know the pond far away near the fields ? I dived into the water and hiding under the water had the piece of bread that you gave me , so the prize is mine.”
“Adith, you also failed the test..haven’t I told you the story of prophet Jonah who was sent as a sign to the Ninevites. God had arranged for a whale to transport him to the city of Nineve.He traveled by sea but was still seen by God” .Adith was also disappointed.
By then the third of the group, little Grace had returned from the ordeal .She exclaimed
“ Mamma , the test of the day was indeed tough.I had to search for long to find a place to hide from the eyes of God.But I found out a place ..there is a wardrobe in the kitchen which opens up to the darkness of the room where we dry our cardamom seeds .There in the darkness I had the bread that you gave me..so the prize is mine”
“oh..my little girl don’t you remember the bible verse that tells that darkness cannot hide the eyes of God”.
By then , little Gyan returned disappointed and on the verge of tears.He ran to mamma with open arms throwing the piece of bread , “ Mamma I could not have the bread that you gave and I don’t want the prize. Where ever I went I felt like God was seeing me and I could not find a place to have it..”
Mamma was quick to hug her little one “My little boy..the prize is yours.There is no place that lies hidden in the eyes of GOD”.
She called all four of them near her and recited Psalms 139 verses 1 to 12:
“ O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.You discern my going out and my lying down;you are familiar with all my ways.Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.You hem me in—behind and before;you have laid your hand upon me.Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”
[ Courtesy : Prof M Y Yohannan ; Christian Revival Fellowship, Kolenchery ]
