The BLACK FOLDER
Copyright Bible Prophecy As Written 2018
For our family, every September 16 is a day of remembrance. And so is the Black Folder. Our beloved son and brother, Seth, went to heaven several years ago at the age of 24. For Seth, now everyday is a day of joy (Jude 1:24), laughter (Luke 6:21), praise (Rev. 19:5) in the very presence of God. No more suffering or tears for several years now, and forevermore without end (Heb. 7:25; Psa. 23:6).
Our certainty about this comes from the Bible. With that tender faith of a child that Jesus loves so much (Mat. 18:2-6; 19:14), Seth believed in the Gospel of John 3:16:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Seth was saved at the age of seven. The promise of John 3:16 makes that certain.
But then, as a Gift, God reminded me of that certainty two weeks after Seth went to heaven. It was a Gift indeed--What a Gift!
I was sorting through Seth's sparse possessions. I was on the back patio with a thin ray of sunlight coming through the trees. Special things went into a keeper-box. Most things, papers and innocuous items, into the trash box beside me. I was weary and deeply saddened by the whole process as I hurried to sort and limit the keeper-box to precious memories.
An old worn black folder, a school-type pocket folder, empty, solid black, was in my left hand headed toward the trash box.
Then, as my hand swept the Black Folder toward the throw away box, that sliver of sunlight caught it. Something reflected off that Black Folder. Just barely. I took a look. I had to rotate the Black Folder in the sunlight to recover the reflection. I strained to see this inscription written by Seth, with black ink, on a Black Folder. Black on black, making it almost invisible. Praise God for that thin ray of sunlight, at just the right instant, at just the right angle. Isn’t that just like our God? Light lighting up the darkness. Here's what Seth had written:
"Jesus is my Lord and Savior"
"Jesus is my Lord and Savior"
RIGHT: The BLACK FOLDER black ink inscription. The folder is actually a "Black black", here visually enhanced by lighting and contrast editing to "lift" out the inscription so it can more easily be seen. At the time it was discovered, it took that thin ray of sunlight to reveal it.
Immediately I realized the treasure of that Black Folder which almost became trash. Suddenly elevated to the most precious of all the keepers.
And here below is the the testimony of the Word of God that makes Seth's black-on-black, almost imperceptible inscription such a meaningful Gift...
"...no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)
There are several ways to say "Jesus is Lord". One is lip service, which can be no more that an open statement to impress the public and promote self-righteousness. Another is to say "Jesus is Lord" privately and personally to God--which makes it from the heart. According to the verse above, that cannot possibly be done "except by the Holy Spirit." And the Holy Spirit is given only to those who believe in Jesus (John 7:39).
Seth made this statement both personally and privately to God, the Biblical-proof of a believing heart--and eternal life. When Seth wrote "Jesus is my Lord and Savior" with black ink on the Black Folder, there was no intent that anyone should see it. It was barely visible. In that act Seth was "in his closet" (Mat. 6:6), privately with Jesus. And that privacy made it personal between Seth and God. God gave us this great Gift by revealing it through that thin ray of sunlight. For Seth's family, the black ink on the Black Folder reminds us everyday of where he is Today.
May that throw-away Black Folder continue to bear fruit for whoever reads this and is led to believe John 3:16.
Praise be to Jesus "my Lord and Savior".
NOTES:
1. Below... the original write-up on "The Black Folder" in the March 2011 Newsletter.
Salvation in Jesus—SO SIMPLE !
Seth scrawled onto his black folder the words “Jesus is my Lord and Savior.” Our son did it next to his stick-on name tag at the bottom of the folder. He used a black marker pen, so it was not obvious at first. Black marker on black folder, it almost escaped my attention as I sorted through his papers, and as I was tossing it into the trash bag, it caught my eye. I had to hold it at an angle toward the sunlight to see it clearly. When I saw the words “Jesus is my Lord and Savior,” I was dumbfounded—with joy inexpressible. Though Seth had asked Jesus into his life at the age of 7 years, 9 months and 7 days, the notation on the folder was made when he was 22 during a particularly hard time in his young life. But Jesus never turns lose of a born again believer. "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing…” (John 6:39)
Now, at the age of 24, our young man is with Jesus. I have framed that black folder with the black-marker notation almost hidden. It is the most valuable material possession I have, because it transcends anything the material world has to offer, for it is my son’s witness to Jesus, and as such those words “are Spirit and are Life.” (John 6:63) Jesus has made Salvation so simple for us...see page 7. We love you Seth,—Mom, Dad, Sean, Christopher, Andrew.