Christ on the Internet
Joe Durai
Every Jack has a web site now a days. Entrusted with a few ministries, I decided the time had come to
make my own web site. After all, much of it is free and why should I not make use of the Internet to develop
my ministry ?
But I thought I would go and ask the Ancient One for some advice and his blessings before constructing a site.
When I told the Ancient One that I wanted to have a web site, without lifting up his head, he asked,
“What for ?”
I got the impression that the Ancient One knew why I had come.
I said, “Well, it is all free and it is a new way of spreading some information about my calling and my God given
ministries; very few people know about the work I am doing for the Lord and I think it is time that people saw the
light of my ministry. It is only fair that I too have my web site”
The Ancient One did not even bother to look up. He seemed to convey the impression that his heart was
disgusted with my reply and I went away feeling miserable. After a few days I approached the Ancient One again.
“Ancient One, if I have a web site, many people from different parts of the world can get involved in the ministry,
I can get a lot of support for the Lord’s work and the ministry can grow wonderfully and the name of our God will
be glorified.” I was sure that the Ancient One would be pleased and give me some encouragement. But all I
could sense was a growing uneasiness within me as the Ancient One showed no signs of even having heard
me. I left his presence a troubled man.
I went back to my place of meditation and racked my brains . I was determined to have a web site, but I also
wanted the blessings of the Ancient One.
After three long days I cautiously approached the Ancient One again. This time I took out my notebook and read
out all the benefits of having a Christian web site that I had carefully prepared.
I told him of the signs of the times we were living in. I showed him the statistics of expected Internet users
growth and what a way it would be to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. I explained the potential of the
Internet in detail. I presented my perfectly researched case for a web site. I was sure that the Ancient One
would now respond. He had to, because I had worked on it from all kinds of angles.
The Ancient One slowly began to lift his head.
“Ah !’ I thought to myself, “now we are getting somewhere.”
The Ancient One then fixed his eyes on me. He looked into my eyes as if he was looking into every fibre of my
being. His look went through me and then beyond me. I began to realise that there was something wrong
and slowly that sense of uneasiness returned. Anyway I stood there determined to have his reply.
I fidgeted and cleared my throat, hoping to catch his eye. But the Ancient One was looking far beyond me into I
do not where. I tried to control the growing sense of frustration and look as relaxed as possible in the presence
of the Ancient One. I encouraged myself by tapping my feet and humming a quick praise chorus under my breath.
The Ancient One then started to get up from the rock on which he was sitting. I knew that he was going back to his
resting place. I quickly said,
“Ancient One, please give me a few minutes and I will be back.”
The Ancient One sat down to wait for me.
I went to a quiet spot behind some trees , got down on my knees and cried out to God Almighty, my Creator
to grant me an answer of peace about my web site.
Now, a broken man, with my tear stained face I approached the Ancient One . I was sure that he would see my
tears, my brokenness of heart and be sympathetic. Meekly I stood before him with my plans for a Christian web site.
In the same tone of voice that I had heard the first time, the Ancient One said,
“What for ?”
I could not believe what I was hearing. The Ancient One’s attitude seemed to be frighteningly callous. I fell down to
the ground sobbing. I lay there with no spirit in me for anything and not caring about anything.
I do not know for how long I lay there until I sensed that the Ancient One had moved off from his rock and was
now beside me , waiting for me to get up. Slowly I picked up the courage to look into the face of the Ancient One.
His face was an interesting study. His countenance began to change from one emotion to another. Every emotion
that I saw on the face of the Ancient One burned into my soul. I don’t have the words to express how he looked.
It is a hard thing to do. But I realised that I was looking into the heart of the Ancient One.
As I looked into the heart of the Ancient One a feeling of peace began to creep up on me. I kept looking at the
Ancient One until that feeling of peace began to fill me. After a few moments, I had nothing but peace - deep
peace, perfect peace. Then slowly and surely a feeling of joy began to bubble up in me. Suddenly I burst out and
said,
“Ancient One ! I know why I want to have a web site”
With a very interested look and in a milder tone he said, “What for ?”
I looked squarely into the face of the Ancient One and shouted with all my might,
“Ancient One ! I am bubbling with peace and joy after looking at your face and my heart is overflowing. I want to
have a web site, so that such as I now have, I can give to my world.”
The Ancient One joined me and with a majestic voice thundered, “Go and do likewise !”
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