Flat Stick

I watched, again, the old movie, The Grapes of Wrath, the other day. You never know what will stick with you or come back to memory....and it's funny how you can see something several times and seemingly see something you never saw before for the first time.
Well, as some of you may or may not know, this movie is set in the days of the great depression of the 1930s. I wasn't there but I've heard and read how bad it was as many people and businesses went bust and broke. Even whole families. The movie (based on John Steinbecks' book of the same name) depicts the life of the Joad family during this period of struggle and uncertainty. This family had to leave their home and land of many years and go west to California where they had heard of a chance at a new and better life picking fruit. So, they(about 10-12 in all covering three generations with one on the way) loaded up an old half-broken down truck with their meager essential belongings and each other and headed out of the dust-laden flats of Oklahoma. They were poor. Nothing but the clothes on their back and what was on the truck with an unknown road ahead and nothing behind. On the way they lost one generation-Grandpa and Grandma died. With little money in their pockets they continued west. At one point, trying to stretch their dollars and cents, they try to buy a piece of a loaf of bread for 10 cents but were sold the whole loaf for 10 cents (and then were sold two nickel-a-piece candies at two-for-a-penny --for the kids). They took a bath out in the open in the river. They bought gas, but didn't fill up, but put a whopping one gallon in the tank.
Well, as the story goes , they stopped over at a transient camp which was about as far opposite from prosperity and hope on the scale as you could get----full of people who wore simple clothes, lived in ragged tents and piecework lean-tos, and looked like they had a death sentence hanging over their heads. They must not have gotten their three square meals a day either because as Ma Joad was cooking stew over a fire in the kettle, about a dozen barefaced kids semi-circled her and watched longingly as she cooked. Well, Ma had as big a heart as she was round. After she doled out meager portions to her family she told those hungry little fellers to go and get a flat stick and they could have what was left. Well, the excited kids scattered and came back---because they were hungry. When I heard that the other day, I was quizzical. A flat stick? I mean, really, how much can you put on a flat stick?

A couple of days later, this scene came back to mind as I was driving down the road. No, you can't put much on a flat stick....but it is something....and something is better than nothing and it is a start. In this hour, for whatever reason, there are many people who have not nor do they think that they can get anything from God on their own. Now, I'm not talking about the getting of material things necessarily. I'm talking about a full, rich, vibrant relationship with God that leads to an abundant life---an effective, soul-satisfying relationship that matters today and everyday. There are many people today with differing misconceptions. Many think that they are not right with God or cannot get the blessings of God in their life because of past deeds and present imperfections in their life....or because they don't attend church enough or give enough money....or they think that they have to go through a priest or a pastor or some religious sanctification. Let's face it, many people just don't think they're good enough for God to listen to them! In fact, the opposite is true. The person who recognizes a need or lack or hunger in their life and is honest enough to admit it is in prime position for knowing God. All they have to do is be willing and to come. All you have to do is to come to God with what you have--even if it is only a flat stick!
The Spirit speaks expressly in this hour saying, "Ho!"(that means Yo, stop, listen). "Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT PRICE."(see Isaiah 55.1-2). Don't settle for a 10 cent piece of loaf relationship. God is willing to give the whole loaf of bread and then some. God is willing to 'sell' nickel candies two for a penny to those who are willing and will come. Every house or building must have a site or foundation before it can even be built. But, you must first go to the site and break ground. Hebrews 11.6 (one of my favorites) says "....he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." So, you must start.......and be diligent---that means consistent. And....you have to want it.......it.......it what?.......life.......meaningful, purposeful life......abundant life.....the life of God.....eternal life. Eternal life, believe it or not, begins on this earth---now.
God rewards those that consistently come to Him. Before you know it, your flat stick will be a ladle, and then a bowl, and then a pool, and then a river of life.
Come to God as you are---even if all you have is a flat stick!