Back Again to God

 

They tell a story, back in the days when carts and horses were used instead of automobiles, about village elders who had decided to organize the working day to suit their desires.

The eldest man told the others that since he'd spent his whole life toiling, he now wished to relax more since it seemed that all was well.  The idea of less work was exciting to many.  "Oh yes," they agreed, "let's do only the things we choose and forget the rest."

They organized each day of the week to include long rest periods, elaborately prepared meals, and only pleasurable activities.  They also had excluded time for prayer.  Now those villagers had always had reverence and gratitude for God.  They knew that God had always provided for them.  But they forgot where all these wonderful gifts they were partaking of, came from.

Within a few weeks, they were becoming ill from all the rich food and lack of exercise.  They were running out of supplies because very few people were working.  Things were looking bad.  It was as though they had all but forgotten how to work and what their lives were like before.

One man and his wife ignored the new ideas.  They had kept on working as usual.  The others treated them badly in the beginning, but now they were jealous of the robust, cheerful attitude this couple had.

The eldest man, now quite weak, came to the couple, "Oh please." he begged.  "Can you help us remember what our lives were like before?"  The couple glanced at each other and the wife said, "We take our direction from God.  He is in our hearts."  The old man implored, "But how do we get Him back with the rest of us?"  The woman reminded him that God had not gone away.  He had been there all the time.

The husband took the eldest man by the hand and led him back to the center of the village.  "Come with me, my elder, and I will remind you of who organized our ways since the beginning.  I will show you and the others how to organize again, with God directing us."

They had walked a long way back to the village and as the younger man spoke, the elder gained strength.

~ Joy Frank ~

(From the Sathya Sai Newsletter, USA and published in

Sanathana Sarathi - Feb. 1993)