The Wicker Basket

My cousin sent this out this morning.  I had not seen this one before; but needed this gentle reminder.  There are times in my life that it seems my prayers have just bounced off the ceilings, and that nothing is coming through His word to me; but this example tells otherwise.  I hope it blesses your heart as it did mine.

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could.
One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?" The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, "Here, take this old wicker coal basket down to the river for me, and bring back a basket of water."
The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was "impossible to carry water in a basket," and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was virtually impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got very far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather, the basket was empty once again... Out of breath, he said, "See Papa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" His grandfather said, "Look at the basket.."  So the boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out."

Moral of the wicker basket story: Take time to read a portion of God's word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don't retain but a few drops.  Step into the water - get wet! Trust God with the changes.