NSMinistries
May 14th 2005, 09:39 AM
Stories From the Psalms
The Eighty-Sixth Psalm (http://www.christianity.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID19179%7CCHID119948%7CCIID2020132,00.html)
By Gary Piper & R. Adam Quigley
The last thing Juan remembered was looking both ways after the stoplight turned green for him then pushing the gas pedal on his old rusted clunker F-150 Ford pickup truck.
"Oh my God he’s dead!" Juan heard an unfamiliar voice shouting.
"Who’s dead?" he frantically called back.
"That SUV ran that red light and plowed into the side of that old pickup truck and it literally exploded!" another voice shouted out.
"What old pickup truck?" Juan shouted.
Suddenly the voices were drowned out by the increasing intensity of approaching sirens. Juan turned and looked south on Main street where a large red fire truck was coming. Turning and looking north he could see an ambulance approaching. Turning again and looking east on Second street there were two police cars racing toward him. It was then he realized he was no longer in his truck but standing on the street corner surrounded by people.
How did I get here and where is my truck, he thought to himself?
Juan’s thoughts were interrupted by another strangers voice, "What kind of truck was that anyway?" someone said pointing at the remains of an old F-150 Ford pickup truck.
"Looked to me like an old Ford but it was pretty rusted and in bad shape," someone commented.
Instantly Juan turned in the direction the man was pointing and was horrified to see his truck transformed into a pile of rusted scrap metal. "Was the driver hurt bad?" another asked.
"Killed instantly I heard someone say," the man who was pointing replied.
"He had to have been," the other man replied, "there are no miracles big enough to save anyone from that mess."
"Even Jesus would have died in that pile of scrap metal," a woman added.
All of a sudden Juan was aware that no one could see him. He begin to panic and wanted to run in the opposite direction but he couldn’t instead he was being slowly pulled toward the wreck. Instantly he grabbed for the pole supporting the street sign but his hand passed through it like it wasn’t there. Moving closer to the accident he tried holding on to a car that had stopped but his hand passed through that too. Is all this stuff an illusion his mind screamed?
Nearing what was left of his truck his eyes were drawn to what appeared to be a man laying on the ground under a large portion of what used to be the cab of a pickup truck. I can’t look! I can’t look! I can’t look! I can’t look! His mind screamed at him repeatedly. But he couldn’t look away either it was like he was frozen or someone was keeping him from turning his head.
Juan knew it was him lying there so he wasn’t surprised when he saw himself lying on the ground. "I can’t be dead," he yelled as loud as he could, "I standing here and I don’t feel any pain. Reaching to his neck to feel his pulse but when he couldn’t find one he then realized things weren’t okay.
Instantly everything disappeared. There were no people. There was no pile of twisted metal once a pickup truck. There were no sirens. There were no trees, no sky, no animals, and no birds. There was also no panic. Looking around it was like he was standing alone in a huge white box.
Is this what death is like, Juan thought to himself? Then quietly in the background he began to hear a chorus of beautiful voices. As the voices increased in volume the outline of what looked like a huge gate began materializing. Slowly the silhouette gave way to a gate will tall pillars appearing to be gold with inlaid pearls adorning it everywhere. Sitting on a rickety old three legged stool at the entrance to the gate Juan notices a tall distinguished elderly man.
Finally able to speak Juan looked at the man and asked, "Am I dead?"
"If it is the Master’s will the answer is yes," the man replied.
Turning and looking at the massive gates, "Are these the gates leading to heaven?"
"They are," came the quick reply.
"What must I do to gain entrance?" Juan asked.
"No one is allowed past this gate without first being judged to see if they have lived their life as a citizen of the Father’s Kingdom ," came the answer.
Quickly thinking he’d not lived a good decent life he replied, "Can I go in and see if I like what I see?" trying sound humorously.
Without saying a word the man smiled and pointed toward a stool made of old plastic milk crates and a clerks desk, "stand in front of that desk and we’ll see how you’ve lived your life."
Moving to his place in front of the desk Juan noticed a large plaque behind it. Juan began reading the big bold letters, "For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2nd Corinthians 5:10)
Nervously watching the older man take his place on the makeshift stool Juan shifted his weight from leg to leg. The man picked up what looked like an old accountants ledger book and read, "The life and times of Juan Melendez."
Carefully opening the book the man stared intently at its pages. Every few seconds he looked up at Juan and shake his head. Each time he did Juan became a little uneasier and wishing he’d lived life as his grandmother had wanted him to.
After several minutes the man looked up and said, "Juan, I see after your mother was tragically killed your grandmother opened the door to Jesus for you. Why didn’t you close the door behind you and stay with him?"
Continuing to shift from foot to foot Juan knew deep inside no matter what answer he gave it would be only an excuse. His grandmother’s words, "someday Juan you’ll be asked what you did about loving Jesus."
Juan Melendez stood mute and could only cry.
Several minutes later the man looked up once more, "I have completed my survey." Holding up the book so Juan could see its pages, "the even numbered pages records the good things attributed to you the odd numbered pages records the bad things attributed to you. You have three even numbered pages completed and three hundred and one odd numbered pages completed." He closed the book placed it on the table.
Juan tried to remember the good things that he’d done in his life but he couldn’t he could only focus on the wrong things he’d done. He remembered the times when he stole money from his grandmother. He remembered the times he told her how stupid she was for believing in a person who lived 2000 years ago. He remembered all the times he told her he didn’t want her praying for him. Suddenly the faces of all the people he’d hurt over the years slammed into his mind. He tried repeatedly to close his mind but the bad memories only intensified and his vision began darkening.
Moments later the huge gates swung open and for a few seconds Juan thought the gate was opening for him but then a small boy appeared and once he was through them they swung shut. As it did Juan lost all hope of gaining entrance he sighed and waited for his sentencing.
His thoughts turned to the small boy who had suddenly appeared something about him was familiar. Then he remembered seeing him at school one day. Juan’s thoughts drifted back to the first time he’d seen the young boy some bigger kids were beating up on him and making fun of the way he was dressed. Juan remembered throwing his books to the ground and running to defend the young stranger he also remembered the beating he took. He managed to smile as he remembered being the only one expelled from school for fighting.
"It is a good thing you’ve done, Juan but you must find other way’s than violence to defend the defenseless," his grandmothers voice echoed in his mind. From that day forward Juan always looked out for the oppressed not always physically as he did in the school yard.
Watching the boy slowly limp toward the milk crate stool Juan thought to himself, it’s strange how I’d forgotten about that incident because it was one those rare occasions when I thought I’d done good. With the older man’s helped he mounted the stool and reached for the book and opened it. Seconds later he opened a desk drawer and brought out what looked like a pen. The young boy shook the pen for several seconds and then began using it vigorously in the open book.
For several minutes Juan was unable to look up but eventually he mustered enough courage to do so. When he did it suddenly occurred to him that whatever the boy was doing it was to the odd numbered side of the book he then realized the darkness surrounding him was disappearing.
What seemed like hours later the boy put the pen back into the desk drawer closed the book and handed it to the older man then jumped down. Next the older man took his place on the stool and picked up the book, "the life and times of Juan Melendez" he read from the front cover .
Opening the book he continued to read, "the even numbered pages records the good things attributed to you the odd numbered pages records the bad things attributed to you. You have three even numbered pages completed and all three hundred and one odd numbered pages have been covered with white out." He closed the book placed it on the table an instantly the clerks desk became a beautiful judges bench defying description, the older man instead of sitting on a stool made of milk crates sat on a massive throne.
Juan glanced at the young boy and before his eyes he was transformed into a man dressed in royal robes. Suddenly the older mans voiced boomed out, "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
Juan realizing he was now in the presence of God and His Son Jesus immediately dropped to his knees and closed his eyes. Jesus walked over to where Juan had dropped to his knees reached down and helped him up. "What so ever you have done to others you have done it to me. Do these words mean anything to you Juan?" Jesus asked him.
Still unable to look at either of them Juan shook his head back and forth and shyly replied, "no sir."
"Our paths crossed long ago on school yard and you were the only one to come to my defense. And since day you continued to defend those who could not protect themselves even at your own expense. Each time you went to someone’s aid it was as if you were defending that young defenseless boy. No greater sacrifice can be given then to give your life for someone else. Are you ready to walk through the gates, Juan?" he said.
Juan wiped the tears from his eyes looked through the gate and stared in awe at the beauty of what he was witnessing. He stood in silence as he inhaled the indescribable sense of peace and calmness that filled his heart. As he readied himself to say yes and walk into the Kingdom of Heaven he was suddenly gripped by a sense of urgency that was coming from under the twisted wreckage of his pickup truck.
With tears forming once again in his eyes he turned to Jesus and replied, "If you don’t mind I’d like to wait awhile so many people need someone to defend them. And I’d like to go back and tell all my friends about my experience here and hopefully when I return they’ll be with me the next time. Can I do that?"
The Son turned to the Father and both shared a smile then turning to Juan, "We were hoping you’d say that because the need for you is great. When you return tell them the story of the little boy who appeared poor and helpless forgives them and awaits the day when their book of life is wiped clean."
In the background Juan could hear his grandmother reciting Psalms 86, one of her favorite Psalms. Juan heard his own voice mingled with her and seconds later under a twisted pile of rusted metal a man named Juan Melendez opened his eyes and called out for someone to pull him from under the wreckage of his pickup truck.
Fifteen minutes later on the way to the hospital Juan sat up on the stretcher and rehearsed his incredible story to the EMT that was caring for him.
Psalm 86
{86:1} Hear, Yahweh, and answer me,
For I am poor and needy.
{86:2} Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.
{86:3} Be merciful to me, Lord,
For I call to you all day long.
{86:4} Bring joy to the soul of your servant,
For to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.
{86:5} For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive;
Abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
{86:6} Hear, Yahweh, my prayer.
Listen to the voice of my petitions.
{86:7} In the day of my trouble I will call on you,
For you will answer me.
{86:8} There is no one like you among the gods, Lord,
Nor any deeds like your deeds.
{86:9} All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord.
They shall glorify your name.
{86:10} For you are great, and do wondrous things.
You are God alone.
{86:11} Teach me your way, Yahweh.
I will walk in your truth.
Make my heart undivided to fear your name.
{86:12} I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart.
I will glorify your name forevermore.
{86:13} For your loving kindness is great toward me.
You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
{86:14} God, the proud have risen up against me.
A company of violent men have sought after my soul,
And they don't hold regard for you before them.
{86:15} But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
{86:16} Turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give your strength to your servant.
Save the son of your handmaid.
{86:17} Show me a sign of your goodness,
That those who hate me may see it, and be shamed,
Because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.
The Eighty-Sixth Psalm (http://www.christianity.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID19179%7CCHID119948%7CCIID2020132,00.html)
By Gary Piper & R. Adam Quigley
The last thing Juan remembered was looking both ways after the stoplight turned green for him then pushing the gas pedal on his old rusted clunker F-150 Ford pickup truck.
"Oh my God he’s dead!" Juan heard an unfamiliar voice shouting.
"Who’s dead?" he frantically called back.
"That SUV ran that red light and plowed into the side of that old pickup truck and it literally exploded!" another voice shouted out.
"What old pickup truck?" Juan shouted.
Suddenly the voices were drowned out by the increasing intensity of approaching sirens. Juan turned and looked south on Main street where a large red fire truck was coming. Turning and looking north he could see an ambulance approaching. Turning again and looking east on Second street there were two police cars racing toward him. It was then he realized he was no longer in his truck but standing on the street corner surrounded by people.
How did I get here and where is my truck, he thought to himself?
Juan’s thoughts were interrupted by another strangers voice, "What kind of truck was that anyway?" someone said pointing at the remains of an old F-150 Ford pickup truck.
"Looked to me like an old Ford but it was pretty rusted and in bad shape," someone commented.
Instantly Juan turned in the direction the man was pointing and was horrified to see his truck transformed into a pile of rusted scrap metal. "Was the driver hurt bad?" another asked.
"Killed instantly I heard someone say," the man who was pointing replied.
"He had to have been," the other man replied, "there are no miracles big enough to save anyone from that mess."
"Even Jesus would have died in that pile of scrap metal," a woman added.
All of a sudden Juan was aware that no one could see him. He begin to panic and wanted to run in the opposite direction but he couldn’t instead he was being slowly pulled toward the wreck. Instantly he grabbed for the pole supporting the street sign but his hand passed through it like it wasn’t there. Moving closer to the accident he tried holding on to a car that had stopped but his hand passed through that too. Is all this stuff an illusion his mind screamed?
Nearing what was left of his truck his eyes were drawn to what appeared to be a man laying on the ground under a large portion of what used to be the cab of a pickup truck. I can’t look! I can’t look! I can’t look! I can’t look! His mind screamed at him repeatedly. But he couldn’t look away either it was like he was frozen or someone was keeping him from turning his head.
Juan knew it was him lying there so he wasn’t surprised when he saw himself lying on the ground. "I can’t be dead," he yelled as loud as he could, "I standing here and I don’t feel any pain. Reaching to his neck to feel his pulse but when he couldn’t find one he then realized things weren’t okay.
Instantly everything disappeared. There were no people. There was no pile of twisted metal once a pickup truck. There were no sirens. There were no trees, no sky, no animals, and no birds. There was also no panic. Looking around it was like he was standing alone in a huge white box.
Is this what death is like, Juan thought to himself? Then quietly in the background he began to hear a chorus of beautiful voices. As the voices increased in volume the outline of what looked like a huge gate began materializing. Slowly the silhouette gave way to a gate will tall pillars appearing to be gold with inlaid pearls adorning it everywhere. Sitting on a rickety old three legged stool at the entrance to the gate Juan notices a tall distinguished elderly man.
Finally able to speak Juan looked at the man and asked, "Am I dead?"
"If it is the Master’s will the answer is yes," the man replied.
Turning and looking at the massive gates, "Are these the gates leading to heaven?"
"They are," came the quick reply.
"What must I do to gain entrance?" Juan asked.
"No one is allowed past this gate without first being judged to see if they have lived their life as a citizen of the Father’s Kingdom ," came the answer.
Quickly thinking he’d not lived a good decent life he replied, "Can I go in and see if I like what I see?" trying sound humorously.
Without saying a word the man smiled and pointed toward a stool made of old plastic milk crates and a clerks desk, "stand in front of that desk and we’ll see how you’ve lived your life."
Moving to his place in front of the desk Juan noticed a large plaque behind it. Juan began reading the big bold letters, "For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2nd Corinthians 5:10)
Nervously watching the older man take his place on the makeshift stool Juan shifted his weight from leg to leg. The man picked up what looked like an old accountants ledger book and read, "The life and times of Juan Melendez."
Carefully opening the book the man stared intently at its pages. Every few seconds he looked up at Juan and shake his head. Each time he did Juan became a little uneasier and wishing he’d lived life as his grandmother had wanted him to.
After several minutes the man looked up and said, "Juan, I see after your mother was tragically killed your grandmother opened the door to Jesus for you. Why didn’t you close the door behind you and stay with him?"
Continuing to shift from foot to foot Juan knew deep inside no matter what answer he gave it would be only an excuse. His grandmother’s words, "someday Juan you’ll be asked what you did about loving Jesus."
Juan Melendez stood mute and could only cry.
Several minutes later the man looked up once more, "I have completed my survey." Holding up the book so Juan could see its pages, "the even numbered pages records the good things attributed to you the odd numbered pages records the bad things attributed to you. You have three even numbered pages completed and three hundred and one odd numbered pages completed." He closed the book placed it on the table.
Juan tried to remember the good things that he’d done in his life but he couldn’t he could only focus on the wrong things he’d done. He remembered the times when he stole money from his grandmother. He remembered the times he told her how stupid she was for believing in a person who lived 2000 years ago. He remembered all the times he told her he didn’t want her praying for him. Suddenly the faces of all the people he’d hurt over the years slammed into his mind. He tried repeatedly to close his mind but the bad memories only intensified and his vision began darkening.
Moments later the huge gates swung open and for a few seconds Juan thought the gate was opening for him but then a small boy appeared and once he was through them they swung shut. As it did Juan lost all hope of gaining entrance he sighed and waited for his sentencing.
His thoughts turned to the small boy who had suddenly appeared something about him was familiar. Then he remembered seeing him at school one day. Juan’s thoughts drifted back to the first time he’d seen the young boy some bigger kids were beating up on him and making fun of the way he was dressed. Juan remembered throwing his books to the ground and running to defend the young stranger he also remembered the beating he took. He managed to smile as he remembered being the only one expelled from school for fighting.
"It is a good thing you’ve done, Juan but you must find other way’s than violence to defend the defenseless," his grandmothers voice echoed in his mind. From that day forward Juan always looked out for the oppressed not always physically as he did in the school yard.
Watching the boy slowly limp toward the milk crate stool Juan thought to himself, it’s strange how I’d forgotten about that incident because it was one those rare occasions when I thought I’d done good. With the older man’s helped he mounted the stool and reached for the book and opened it. Seconds later he opened a desk drawer and brought out what looked like a pen. The young boy shook the pen for several seconds and then began using it vigorously in the open book.
For several minutes Juan was unable to look up but eventually he mustered enough courage to do so. When he did it suddenly occurred to him that whatever the boy was doing it was to the odd numbered side of the book he then realized the darkness surrounding him was disappearing.
What seemed like hours later the boy put the pen back into the desk drawer closed the book and handed it to the older man then jumped down. Next the older man took his place on the stool and picked up the book, "the life and times of Juan Melendez" he read from the front cover .
Opening the book he continued to read, "the even numbered pages records the good things attributed to you the odd numbered pages records the bad things attributed to you. You have three even numbered pages completed and all three hundred and one odd numbered pages have been covered with white out." He closed the book placed it on the table an instantly the clerks desk became a beautiful judges bench defying description, the older man instead of sitting on a stool made of milk crates sat on a massive throne.
Juan glanced at the young boy and before his eyes he was transformed into a man dressed in royal robes. Suddenly the older mans voiced boomed out, "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
Juan realizing he was now in the presence of God and His Son Jesus immediately dropped to his knees and closed his eyes. Jesus walked over to where Juan had dropped to his knees reached down and helped him up. "What so ever you have done to others you have done it to me. Do these words mean anything to you Juan?" Jesus asked him.
Still unable to look at either of them Juan shook his head back and forth and shyly replied, "no sir."
"Our paths crossed long ago on school yard and you were the only one to come to my defense. And since day you continued to defend those who could not protect themselves even at your own expense. Each time you went to someone’s aid it was as if you were defending that young defenseless boy. No greater sacrifice can be given then to give your life for someone else. Are you ready to walk through the gates, Juan?" he said.
Juan wiped the tears from his eyes looked through the gate and stared in awe at the beauty of what he was witnessing. He stood in silence as he inhaled the indescribable sense of peace and calmness that filled his heart. As he readied himself to say yes and walk into the Kingdom of Heaven he was suddenly gripped by a sense of urgency that was coming from under the twisted wreckage of his pickup truck.
With tears forming once again in his eyes he turned to Jesus and replied, "If you don’t mind I’d like to wait awhile so many people need someone to defend them. And I’d like to go back and tell all my friends about my experience here and hopefully when I return they’ll be with me the next time. Can I do that?"
The Son turned to the Father and both shared a smile then turning to Juan, "We were hoping you’d say that because the need for you is great. When you return tell them the story of the little boy who appeared poor and helpless forgives them and awaits the day when their book of life is wiped clean."
In the background Juan could hear his grandmother reciting Psalms 86, one of her favorite Psalms. Juan heard his own voice mingled with her and seconds later under a twisted pile of rusted metal a man named Juan Melendez opened his eyes and called out for someone to pull him from under the wreckage of his pickup truck.
Fifteen minutes later on the way to the hospital Juan sat up on the stretcher and rehearsed his incredible story to the EMT that was caring for him.
Psalm 86
{86:1} Hear, Yahweh, and answer me,
For I am poor and needy.
{86:2} Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.
{86:3} Be merciful to me, Lord,
For I call to you all day long.
{86:4} Bring joy to the soul of your servant,
For to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.
{86:5} For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive;
Abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
{86:6} Hear, Yahweh, my prayer.
Listen to the voice of my petitions.
{86:7} In the day of my trouble I will call on you,
For you will answer me.
{86:8} There is no one like you among the gods, Lord,
Nor any deeds like your deeds.
{86:9} All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord.
They shall glorify your name.
{86:10} For you are great, and do wondrous things.
You are God alone.
{86:11} Teach me your way, Yahweh.
I will walk in your truth.
Make my heart undivided to fear your name.
{86:12} I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart.
I will glorify your name forevermore.
{86:13} For your loving kindness is great toward me.
You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
{86:14} God, the proud have risen up against me.
A company of violent men have sought after my soul,
And they don't hold regard for you before them.
{86:15} But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
{86:16} Turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give your strength to your servant.
Save the son of your handmaid.
{86:17} Show me a sign of your goodness,
That those who hate me may see it, and be shamed,
Because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.