Ready For A Visit

In Palermo, Sicily, there’s an old estate with a beautiful English garden. The home was once owned by the Whitaker family who came from Yorkshire, England. They made their fortune by inventing Marsala wine which is still made and exported today. While the family had a home and business in Italy, they didn’t visit that often.
The story is told of a man travelling through Sicily who came across the house with its beautifully kept garden. The local people referred to it as ‘the English garden.’ Working away in a corner was the gardener. The visitor got talking and asked the gardener, “How long have you worked here?”
“Forty years.”
“Is the owner about?”
“He’s away but he’ll be back.”
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
“How long has it been since you last saw him?”
“I’ve never seen him.”
“What an amazing thing! You’ve worked here for forty years without seeing the owner and you don’t know when he’s coming back. Why, this place is kept so beautifully. You’d think you were expecting him tomorrow.”
“Today, sir. Today.”
Jesus said, “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.” (Mark 13:35)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *