Why we need to understand parables

We all know that Jesus taught in parables (stories that apply to everyday life) but the Old Testament is spoken in parables too, if we look at it that way. Can we not relate to the Israelites and their troubles and compare them to our present daily trials? The thing about parables is that they speak to the spirit, they transcend any worldly common sense and get to the heart of the matter. Any story or movie worth its weight has a parable worth taking to heart. It's about good and evil on some plain of existence, and we identify with the characters. Our spiritual life is the only life we truly live, for we are dead in our transgressions! why? Because God first loved us and sent His only begotten Son to die for us. God did this even before we were ever aware we were sinners. Jesus has already won the victory, it is finished. Yes this really happened and there are those who try desperately to prove it is just a story that as followers of Christ we just want to believe. Oh really? As for believers, our faith is not for sale. It can be tried and it can be shaken but if we truly love the Lord our God it is not for sale my friend. We did not wake up one morning and say 'hey I think I want to see if I like this faith in God believing stuff', then temptation and trials come so we say 'forget that I'm done with faith' and we never think of it again. Oh no my friend, God chose us- not the other way around. We all know we stumble just like a baby taking his first steps, but to go back to crawling and never try to walk again would never do, now would it ? Our hearts long for God and when we realized there was a thirst deep inside that no one could fill but God and that He gave His Son who became our sin so we could reach our Father in whose image we were made ; we were given a new heart! a new hope! Our past life was full of darkness but our new life is full of light and understanding! We desire God because God created us to desire Him. The bible becomes food to our soul and water to our spirits. We indeed need to thirst no more. We often become parched , dried out in this life because we indulge our flesh in the spirit of busyness. We must drink the living water and let it sink in and nourish our spirits. The more we do this, the more light we start seeing. The word is full of parables - wonderful, wonderful parables. They are not put out of our reach of understanding, for it is the Holy Spirit who gives us our understanding. God reveals what each of us needs and not more than we can bear. But there is a catch! We must seek. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, then all the rest shall be added unto you." There's one to write on your wall so you can read it every day.

It's ironic to see all the literature out there on faith and Christianity but look at all the time we put into reading so many other things. It is sobering to see how little time we spend in the Word. Our level of understanding has everything to do with our desire and thirst for God. The Bible is full of glorious parables just waiting to be revealed to us but if we don't ignore the spirit of busyness and seek, then our light will not increase. We can stumble our whole lives like a child learning to walk or we can learn to run. Either way we will still cross the finish line but will it be with our hands held high and our hearts beating wildly in victory of running the good race? Oh the joy of crossing that line into our Father's arms! We can only imagine for now how glorious a day that will be. So for now His peace He leaves with us and we are so blessed to have it right in front of us through the renewing of our minds with the scripture of God's word in Christ Jesus. The question we must ask ourselves is - are we ready to thirst no more? A greater story was never told. A story of God's love for you, and it extends for eternity. "Pick up pick up the good book now" Cat Stevens

Heavenly Father

Draw us nearer to you, let us see our parched thirst so we will come to be filled with living water of Your love to our dry and thirsty vessels. In Jesus Your Son's name I pray amen

Love to all in Christ Jesus C:)