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A missionary was
in Africa for many years, telling the natives the wonderful
story of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ for sinners. One
day he was trying to explain faith. He said, "Do you
see that pool of water over there? Have you ever seen that
water get as hard as rock?"
"Oh, no!"
they answered in surprise, since they had never seen ice.
"Believe me," the missionary continued, "in
the country where I come from the water gets so hard that
you can stand on top of it!"
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The natives did
not understand this. One boy was heard whispering to another
that the missionary was telling lies.
The missionary went on to explain that even though they had
never seen ice and did not understand how it could occur,
the fact was still true. To believe it required faith. First,
they needed faith in the missionary himself that he would
tell them only the truth. Second, they needed faith to believe
that water could turn to ice, even though they had never seen
it happen.
It is the same way with God. He tells only the truth. He has
spoken to us in His Word, the Bible. Have you read it and
believed it? He has told you that you are a sinner and that
there is nothing that you can do to save yourself from your
sins. He has also told you that He loves you, and to show
His love He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die
in your place. If you will accept Him as your Saviour, you
will be saved from the punishment your sins require. Faith
is believing God, because He says it.
Some months later the missionary returned to his northern
homeland for a short visit. He brought back with him the native
boy who thought he was lying when he told them about ice.
It was winter, so the two of them went for a walk to a pond
that was being used as a hockey rink by some boys.
Remembering what he had said in Africa, the missionary asked
the boy if he would like to walk on the "hard water."
The boy was
afraid to at first, but the missionary took his hand, and
together they went out on the frozen pond. Then, jumping hard
on the ice, the missionary asked him, "Now do you believe
what I said about water getting hard as a rock?"
"Yes," he answered, "I believe it now."
That native boy did not have faith. He would not believe the
missionary until he saw the ice. If he had believed what the
missionary had told him in Africa, that would have been faith...even
though it sounded impossible to him. "Faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:1
Do you have faith in God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ?
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