A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm in the sea. And
only two men were able to swim to a small, deserted island. The two survivors
not knowing what else to do agree that they had no other resources but to pray
to God.
However, to find out whose
prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and
stay on opposite sides of the island.
The first thing the first man prayed for
was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side
of the land. And he was able to eat its fruit. The other man’s parcel of land
remained barren. After a week, the first man was lonely and decided to pray for
a wife.
The next day, another ship was wrecked. And the only survivor was a
woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there
was nothing. Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The
next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man
still has nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship so that he and his
wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found this ship docked at his
side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to
leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to
receive God’s blessings since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the
ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming.
“Why
are you leaving your companion on the island?”
“My blessings are mine alone, since
I was the one who prayed for them,” the first man answered. “His prayers were
all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything.”
“You are mistaken!”, the voice rebuked him.
“He had only one
prayer, which I answered.
“If not for that, you would not have received any of
my blessings.”
“Tell me.”, the first man asked the voce.
“What did he pray
for that I should owe him anything?”
“He prayed that all your prayers be answered.”
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our
prayers alone. But those of another praying for us. When Jesus died on the
cross, He died for you.
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