"Grandpa?" "Yes, Aber." "Tell us ‘bout The time you got in trouble out Behind Bethsaida hills, when you Were just a kid. Okay?" "Me too, Grandpa! Can I stay up and hear It too?" "Well, Barnabas, I fear It's sort of late for you, young man." "But I can stay awake! I can! I listened last year from my bed . I mean . Last night when mama read I stayed up. Please, Grandpa!" "Well, let Me see. I'll tell you what. You get Grandpa a pillow for his feet, And snuggle here and be real sweet, And I'll just try to keep it short. We'll call this Grandpa's ‘Short Report.'" Some sixty years ago when I Was nine, I thought I would defy My father's word." "Defy? Grandpa, What's that?" "Defy? Well, little Ba, It's just plain disobey, that's all. My father warned me not to fall For lies." "What lies, Grandpa?" "O, lies Like: God's no fortune, God's no prize God's got boredom in his eyes. Come with us, we'll make you wise: Stolen bread is sweet to eat, Stolen fish is easy meat." "D'you make that up, Grandpa?" "No sir! Along the western shore there were Some kids back then who got their kicks From stealin' bread and playin' tricks On fishermen. And every time I went to market with my dime For bread and fish, they'd chant their song, And try to make me go along: Stolen bread is sweet to eat, Stolen fish is easy meat. Then you take your father's cash, Make yourself a little splash. My father warned me not to play With them, or steal or lie. He'd say, A boy that's got to steal for fun Has never seen what God has done. A boy that needs to steal a cake Has never seen what God can make.
And he was right. My eyes were blind, Until one day I saw the kind Of thing that God can do. I snatched A baker's bag and then I matched It with a fisher's sack." "You mean You stole ‘em, Grandpa?" "Stole 'em. 'Tween These very fingers. Then I flew Like crazy to the hills and through Bethsaida vale. And there I found A welcome sight: a crowd around Ten thousand strong, a perfect place To hide. No one would know my face, Or what I'd done. That's what I thought, At least. But then the Teacher caught My eye." "You mean, Jesus, Grandpa?" "Yes, Barnabas, the very Son Of God. I thought at first I'd run. He knew exactly what I'd done. His eyes were like a trumpet blast Of truth. He knew from first to last. (The Lord can read a boy the way A boy reads books.)" "But did you stay, Grandpa, or did you run?" "I tried To run, but couldn't. Something died Inside. And even when I saw Him point, I simply stood in awe, That he could know.
His servants came: ‘Hello, young man, you got a name?' ‘My name is John.' ‘Well, John, the Lord Would like to use the lunch you've stored There in your sacks.' ‘My lunch? O, these! Yes, sure! Here take them all, O please! I'll be just fine. Please take them all.' ‘Let's see. Five loaves, two fish. You're small For such a hefty lunch. I 'spose You meant to share.' ‘The Teacher knows,' I said. And so the Lord took bread That I had swiped, and prayed and fed Five thousand men before my eyes. And as the sun went down, the skies Turned somber with the stormy clouds And Jesus sent away the crowds, And walked up in the hills alone To pray. He knelt down by a stone." "Grandpa, how do you know he knelt?" "I followed him. Because I felt That maybe he could make it right. He heard me stumbling in the night And called, ‘John, come, I'm over here. It's pretty late. Have you no fear To roam the hills at night?' ‘I do. But I just had to talk to you. How did you know that it was me?' ‘I prayed that you would come.' ‘Really? You know I stole the bread?' ‘I know.' ‘And fish.' ‘Yes.' ‘Where else could I go?' ‘What would you like to have tonight?' ‘I thought perhaps you'd make it right. Is there a chance for me to be A righteous man some day, and free From all my sins, and used by God For good, perhaps like Aaron's rod? I robbed an old man by the sea. Can you do anything with me?' ‘Did you not understand the sign? Did not ten thousand people dine Today? If I can take your bread, And see ten thousand people fed; If I can take a boy that's dead, And lift him from his coffin bed; If I can still a storm tonight, Then, John, I can make all things right. A boy that's got to steal a cake Has never seen what God can make. But now you've seen it with your eyes: That God's a fortune, God's a prize.'" "What happened then, Grandpa?" "It's late Aber, I think we better wait..." "GRANDPA! What happened?" "Jesus walked Out on the sea and simply talked, And all the wind and skies obeyed, Just like the bread — and boys — he made. Light candle one now, Abraham, And don't wake up this little lamb. Burn bright and quiet as you sleep And let the lesson sink in deep." Logos.ReferenceTagging.lbsBibleVersion = "ESV"; Logos.ReferenceTagging.lbsLinksOpenNewWindow = true; Logos.ReferenceTagging.lbsLibronixLinkIcon = "dark"; Logos.ReferenceTagging.lbsNoSearchTagNames = [ "h1", "h2", "h3" ]; Logos.ReferenceTagging.lbsCssOverride = true; Logos.ReferenceTagging.tag(); By John Piper. © 1988 Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
