Note Card: The Mine

Written on a 4x6 note card by Stan Julin.


In an earthly mine, men are looking for (usually) one precious thing.  In the mine of God, there are all kinds of precious treasures.  Each one is the mother lode with veins running in every direction and leading to other mother lodes, rich, each one beyond all the others.

Nobody digs in the mine of God without effort; so those who do not dig never know what they are missing.

It is dark in the mine, for the words of the wise are full of dark sayings, but the owner supplies light to those who are earnest, the light coming mysteriously with effort.

Those who come must spend a lot of time searching for they know not what, for the treasures of God are full of mystery; but once found they know what they have found and rejoice as those who have found great spoil.  And the value increases as they keep digging as if they have not yet found.

Moreover, they take it away from the mine in their hearts only to find that others have also found it before them. And they took it away; yet it was still there, put there to be found by the poor of this world rich in faith.  Then, mysteriously, they discover that they give it to others, and the value increases yet more.  But when they try to give it to others with the greatest diligence and effort, they cannot get rid of it all.  The harder they try to get rid of it the richer they become.  Each vein keeps getting wider and richer.