A LITTLE girl living in Sweden was saying good-bye to a gentleman, who was leaving for England the next day. She presented him with two oranges, saying, “One is for yourself; the other is for the rest of the people in England.”
She was a very little girl, or else she never would have seriously thought that one orange would do for so many people.
But God’s Gospel is not like that orange. There is salvation for all, and not merely for all the people in England, but for all the people in the world: “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).)
We must not make the mistake the little English girl ma de, who had a French nurse. The nurse, who was a Christian, was praying aloud in French in the hearing of the little girl. The child cried out in astonishment, “Don’t pray in French, nursey. God is English, and won’t understand you.”
What a mistake she made! Why, the Bible was not written in English to begin with—the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the New Testament in Greek, and our English Bible, we love so well, is a translation from these languages.
It is printed in languages and dialects, bringing up the number to over 400.
Why is this? Because it contains a universal message; that is, a message for all—and therefore a message for you.
In the school where my little boy goes there are English, Scotch, Irish, Greek, and Chinese boys, as well as a Kurd. Well John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) is for them all, as well as for the black boys living under the broiling sun of Africa, among the lions and elephants and serpents, as well as for the fur-clad lads of Greenland, who live among the seals and bears.
What a mercy it is for all! I do trust this may meet the eye of some boy or girl who desires to be saved, for God says, whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
It matters not where you live, what your name is, what the color of your skin is—salvation is for you.
A little while ago a little girl wrote me from the other side of the world, telling me her two brothers and herself had been saved through reading a book called, Wise unto Salvation.
I got the atlas out, and found they lived on a lonely coast on the north of Tasmania.
Yes, God is saving boys and girls all over the world. Has He saved you yet?
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Wonderful words! Have you received their message yet?
ML-01/11/1920