17th Sunday after Pentecost - The Athiest and the Airdale _ - Love of God -

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart."
GOD has made us to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. These three things follow one after the other. If we know Him, we love Him. If we love Him, we serve Him.
God made us to know Him. An atheist was once the guest of a good Catholic man. While at dinner the atheist began to boast, saying, "I am proud to say that I am the only one in the room who has the honor of not believing in God." His host, a man who knew God and therefore loved Him, said, "I'm afraid you are mistaken, Sir. You share that honor with my airdale in the corner. But he doesn't boast about it." Unlike the atheist, or the airdale, we are given a knowledge of God from our earliest days. We should appreciate it and try to make it grow.
God made us to love Him. If we know God, it means that we will love Him. there is a plant called the compass flower because it points always to the North. When the sun is shining and warm the compass flower points to the North. Even if the heavens are filled with darkness, the compass flower points to the North. The wind can rage, the storm howl, and the sky flash lightning and echo with thunder; still the compass flower points northward. So should our hearts point always toward God. Like little compass flowers in the sunshine or in shadow they should always point Godwards. God made us to serve Him. If we know Him, we love Him. If we love Him, we serve Him.
The Cathedral at Freiburg in Germany had a splendid organ. One day a white-hair old man came to the Cathedral and asked permission to play the organ. He was refused and went away disappointed.
Someone asked, "Do you know the name of that man to whom you refused permission? That was Felix Mendelssohn, the greatest musician of the day."
"What a pity we refused him," they said. "What beautiful music he could have made!"
God is a master musician who plays on our heartstrings. He asks permission to fill our souls with beautiful music. If we refuse permission, He goes away sad because He will not force His way into our hearts. What a beautiful melody He could have played if we had let Him!
If we know God, we love Him. If we love Him, we will serve Him; and if we serve Him in this life, we will be happy with Him forever in the next.
~ Sunday Morning Storyland, Imprimatur 1945 ~
GOD has made us to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. These three things follow one after the other. If we know Him, we love Him. If we love Him, we serve Him.
God made us to know Him. An atheist was once the guest of a good Catholic man. While at dinner the atheist began to boast, saying, "I am proud to say that I am the only one in the room who has the honor of not believing in God." His host, a man who knew God and therefore loved Him, said, "I'm afraid you are mistaken, Sir. You share that honor with my airdale in the corner. But he doesn't boast about it." Unlike the atheist, or the airdale, we are given a knowledge of God from our earliest days. We should appreciate it and try to make it grow.
God made us to love Him. If we know God, it means that we will love Him. there is a plant called the compass flower because it points always to the North. When the sun is shining and warm the compass flower points to the North. Even if the heavens are filled with darkness, the compass flower points to the North. The wind can rage, the storm howl, and the sky flash lightning and echo with thunder; still the compass flower points northward. So should our hearts point always toward God. Like little compass flowers in the sunshine or in shadow they should always point Godwards. God made us to serve Him. If we know Him, we love Him. If we love Him, we serve Him.
The Cathedral at Freiburg in Germany had a splendid organ. One day a white-hair old man came to the Cathedral and asked permission to play the organ. He was refused and went away disappointed.
Someone asked, "Do you know the name of that man to whom you refused permission? That was Felix Mendelssohn, the greatest musician of the day."
"What a pity we refused him," they said. "What beautiful music he could have made!"
God is a master musician who plays on our heartstrings. He asks permission to fill our souls with beautiful music. If we refuse permission, He goes away sad because He will not force His way into our hearts. What a beautiful melody He could have played if we had let Him!
If we know God, we love Him. If we love Him, we will serve Him; and if we serve Him in this life, we will be happy with Him forever in the next.
~ Sunday Morning Storyland, Imprimatur 1945 ~