THE REVEREND AND THE ROSE
Rev. Jerry Parnell, pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church of Anderson, South Carolina, will often conclude one of his sermons with an illustration using a live rose. He tells how that God gives us a fresh flowing in life, but that over the course of time we make bad decisions that have consequences. He pulls one petal at a time as he talks about alcohol and drug abuse, sexual sins, anger and unforgiveness. He then declares that for some, all you have left is a stem. But our God is so great in grace that he still wants your life. Even if it is only a stem of what it once was, give what is left. Say, God if you will take the stem...! What an amazing God we serve.