| A voyaging ship was wrecked
during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to
a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to
do, agreed that they had no other recourse 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 they 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 he decided
to pray for a wife. The next day, there 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 had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that
he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a 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 voice, "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.
This is too good not to share...
My prayer for you today is that all your prayers
are answered. Be blessed.
"What you do for others is more important than what
you do for yourself"
Author: Unknown
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