Great Meaning Hidden in Simple Stories

As I write this post, I can hear thunder in the distance.  Hubby and I had been out tonight to have dinner with a group of people and remember a dear friend who passed away a year ago today. When we were driving home we could see flashes of lightening in the sky.

I admit that I love electrical storms.  I will sit under the cover of my verandah and watch lightening in the sky and I still get a big grin on my face whenever I hear thunder.

When I was a child, the house I lived in had huge picture windows in the loungeroom.  When there was an electrical storm, Mum would open the curtains and raise the venetian blinds as high as they could go and we would sit and watch the exciting show of lightening slashing white lines in the inky blackness of the night sky.  To ensure my sister and I wouldn't get scared of the loud claps of thunder, mum told us the rumbling was Santa rolling his big barrels packing up or preparing for Christmas, depending when each particular storm was. Looking back, I know Mum told us a story to make the scary storms seem exciting to us children and, of course, her story of Santa and his barrels made perfect sense as in Australia, we tend to have the majority of electrical storms in December and January.

As an adult, I know more of the science of electrical storms but still, there is a magic and enjoyment for me about them.  

Jesus used to tell stories to his Disciples, Pharisees and any who took the time to listen about Heaven and God's love for the world.  He used things that were everyday parts of life to make the big and difficult to comprehend into something easily understandable.  An example is Jesus' parable of the fellow who finds a treasure hidden in a field, went and sold all he had to buy the field.   To me, this parable is about how Jesus sees each one of us as a treasure and gave all he had, His life, to buy you and me.  A simple story to show our value to God and how he wants to lavish His love on us, when for generations, people were taught that to gain God's approval was complex and full of sacrifice and hard work.

Its exciting to me, to know God's love is so great for me and for you