HEAVEN'S GROCERY STORE (source unknown)

1 Cor 4:20

‘For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.’ (MKJV)

‘ Porque o reino de Deus não consiste em palavras, mas em poder.’ (PJFA)

As I was walking down life’s highway, I came upon a sign that read ‘Heaven’s Grocery Store.’

When I got a little closer, the doors swung open wide and I walked through the entrance.  I saw a host of angels.  One handed me a shopping cart and instructed me to fill it.

I headed down the aisles and noticed that everything anyone would ever need was in that store.  Just when I began to wonder how I would ever carry everything, an angel approached me and said, ‘Whatever you can’t carry,  you can come back for’.

I first grabbed some Patience.  Then I found a huge box of Understanding.  Can’t have too much of that, I mused.  So I grabbed an extra box.  Then I noticed Love in the same row and put an oversized load of that in my cart.

Next I got some Wisdom and a couple of bags of Faith.  I couldn’t overlook Charity, so I grabbed that too.  Oh my goodness, I thought, the Holy Spirit’s here!  He’s all over the place – plentiful as can be!  So I took a generous helping and then came upon Strength.

Realizing I’d need that to help me through the tough times ahead, I didn’t hesitate to put some in my cart.  And then I came upon Courage.  Gotta have that, too.

My cart was getting full, but I remembered I needed Grace.  Then I chose Salvation and rejoiced inwardly that it was free.  Wow! I thought.  I’ve got everything I need to do God’s will.

But as I moved toward the cashier, I noticed Prayer.  I’ll need a lot of that, I reasoned, because when I step outside this store, I’ll be stepping right into the world of sin.  So I stocked up on Prayer and couldn’t help but notice Peace and Joy.  They were plentiful, so I helped myself.  And right next to the cashier’s counter, I noticed Praise and Worship, so I placed them on top.

Then I said to the angel working at the cash register, ‘How much do I owe?’

But he just smiled and said, ‘Take them everywhere you go.’

So I repeated the question: ‘Really. How much do I owe?’

‘My child,’ he said, ‘God paid your bill a long, long time ago.’