Pagosa Springs, Colorado
October 27, 2003
“Little Faith”
This is a story that needs to be told and shared more than once. It’s about a little baby named “Faith”. She was born prematurely two weeks ago and weighted only 1 lb. & 15 oz.
Here is what happened last Saturday. I went to town to mail a package and then stopped by Hi-Mesa Truck & Auto Center. My friend Ben Johnson manages the company. Ben and I have been friends for 27 years. We like each other a lot. Our common denominator is Jesus; and we seldom leave Him out of the conversation.
On this particular visit Ben wasted no time showing me a picture of his granddaughter - just a tiny little thing in an incubator. On her left wrist she was wearing the wedding ring of her father. Her tiny hands were so small that the ring easily fit over her hand and onto her wrist.
I know Ben was concerned about every breath that his granddaughter was taking; but at the same time he also demonstrated a faith I rarely see first-hand. Ben knew that Jesus was holding “Little Faith” securely in His hands. It was an inspiration to see Ben’s countenance. He trusted Jesus like I have seldom witnessed.
After showing me the picture, he placed it back on the wall by his desk. And then I noticed that he also had a picture of the hands of Jesus on the wall. I said, “Ben, why don’t you write the name of your grandchild into the palm of Jesus’ hands?” And that’s what he did. He took a pen and wrote “Faith” into Jesus’ hands just like I hade done on the front of this card.
A few weeks ago I was able to do something like Ben did. I placed my broken chair into the hands of The Master Carpenter from Nazareth. I had the chair for some 40 years. It had been like a faithful servant. Without realizing it, the chair had become a part of me. In fact, you might say that I had a “soul tie” with the chair. The chair broke when I used it in place of a ladder. I am very grateful that the chair broke and not my back.
I put the chair and the broken pieces in the garage waiting for an inspiration. I was unable to part with it. I even became depressed, confused and angry about the whole thing. What should I do? One day, in conversation with my friend Millie Dall, I realized that the chair had become an “Isaac’ in my life. The dump or the wood stove would and probably should be it’s funeral pyre. So, I decided to release the chair when the garbage truck came around the next time. The decision made, I felt a lot better. But that never happened!
Suddenly, in my mind’s eye I saw the face of Clyde Ketchum, both a special friend and also a master carpenter. I saw the heart and face of Jesus in this man. And as I did, the Holy Spirit urged me to call him, show him the chair, tell him the story, and then release the chair into his hands. The chair is now in his hands and in His hands. I am at peace. Whatever he and He decides will be the very best for the chair and for me.
One idea leads to another idea. In my mind’s eye I see a journal. On the cover of the journal are the hands of Jesus. On each journal page the hands of Jesus are lightly screened in the background. As the journal is being used, the writer will be placing his or her heart and heartaches into the hands of our Great Physician & Master Carpenter. WOW!
Soon, very soon the journal project will be a reality. I am so excited. God did it again, turning tragedy into triumph!
In the name of Jesus, our Great Physician and Master Carpenter.
PS: November 11, 2017. This writer stumbled across the story “Little Faith” 14 years later and was prompted to resurrect it and add it to www.stretcherbearers.com. He was hoping to include the picture of Ben Johnson’s teenage granddaughter to the postscript but learned that “Faith” went home to be with Jesus when she was very little.
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All writings by Peter, the Lord's Scribe and Storyteller and all paintings by Rebekah, the Lord's artist are copyright free.
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