Written by Robert D. Hill, Pastor Faith Baptist Church, Water Valley, MS
The Watermelon
Carnival is an annual event in the town of Water Valley, Mississippi. Its origin is rooted
in the days when the tracks and trains of the Illinois Central Railroad ran through the
town bringing with them each summer's watermelon harvest. The Watermelon Carnival is
reminiscent of technology, life, and dreams from another century. To many of Water
Valley's returning sons and daughters, it brings back memories of a home and a way of life
that use to be.
"A way of life that used to be;" how thought provoking these words! The passage of time is a strange and awesome thing. As the old saying goes, "Time stops for no man." It points to a Biblical reference: "For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 5:14).
An event like a Watermelon Carnival helps us to slow the passage of time by allowing us to reach back and hold onto those precious memories of home, family, and a simpler way of life. To be sure some people enjoy it as an escape from the fast pace of modern life. Time, though, moves deliberately onward. But, onward to what?
Just what can we say of time and temporal life? Some say, "Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow we die." For these restless ones, life offers a series of carnivals. On the other extreme, there are those who, having tasted the harsh realities of a world gone wrong and seeinglittle hope in it, have resigned themselves to amore pessimistic view. For these, life is death in slow motion. They see life from the viewpoint of one who lays dying.
Thankfully, the Creator of Time has not left us without reasonable purpose or hope. In the pages of God's Word, the Bible, He has much to say on this topic. For example, God presents three reasons He created mankind. In Ephesians chapter one, the Bible states:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him [Jesus] before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved
[Son, Jesus].
To rightly understand the straight forward message in these verses, a few definitions are helpful. First, the word holy simply means that something or someone is set apart for special use to God. Simply put, God created us to be special for Him. He wanted, and still wants, to love some one just like you.
God loves us as much today as He did that hour His Son, Jesus, died as payment for our sin on the Cross. He died willingly in love, in order to offer us forgiveness and His gift of eternal life. God continues to extend us the opportunity to accept His gift and find His love in Christ.
Second, the word predestined means to pre-plan or to choose in advance. God could have created us as robots, but He did not. He knew that if our love for Him was to be meaningful He would have to give mankind a free will by which to choose to love and serve Him or not. Knowing in advance the decision we would make, He still chose to love us.
"Time," someone has said, "is the proving ground for the soul." In His time, God grants life as an opportunity for us to trust and serve Him or not. Those who find God's forgiveness and acceptance through the Lord Jesus Christ, also, find His peace and His special purpose.
We can lose out on the best God has to offer us, both in time and eternity, if we are not careful. People tend to hide in the past, live for the moment, or miserably tolerate a seeming purposeless existence rather than deal with God. But, this does not have to be the case.
In His love, God has a wonderful plan for each of us. He has a unique and special purpose for your life. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). You can experience that life. You can know God's special will for your life. Will you not, in genuine trust, accept His offer of forgiveness and new life in Christ?
Need more information? Feel welcome to contact us.
Faith Baptist Church
Home of Faith Christian Academy
1300 Eckford StreetWater Valley, MS 38965
Telephone: 662-473-1661
E-mail: Mail@FBCFCA.com
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Copyright 2000 Robert D. Hill