setup: [E-Mail Ministry] The Bible & The Coal Basket

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THE BIBLE & THE COAL BASKET

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of
eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early
sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible.

His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way
he could. One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just
like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as
soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?" The
Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, "Take
this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water." The
boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could
get back to the house.

The grandfather laughed and said, "You will have to move a little faster
next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he
returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was
"impossible to carry water in a basket," and he went to get a bucket
instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket
of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went
out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was
impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as
fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy
scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the
basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, "See Papa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket." The
boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket
looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean. "Son,
that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or
remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the
inside out.

That is the work of God in our lives.

To change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the image
of His son.

Take time to read a portion of God's word each day.

-- Author Unknown

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