THE other day I was told a true story of three little girls in India, and perhaps the young readers of “Messages of Love” would like to hear it too. You know there are many thousands of people in India, who have never heard of God, and who worship horrible images of wood and stone, but there are a few who have learned to know “The only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent.”
The father of the three little girls was one of these. His eyes had been opened to see his own sinfulness, and the wonderful salvation provided for him in the Lord Jesus.
When this man, whose name I do not know, became a Christian, he was not content to keep all the good things he had learned to himself. He wanted to tell his fellow countrymen the wonderful news, so he spent all his time going from village to village, preaching the gospel. Perhaps you are wondering how he got food for his family, when he spent all his time in this way Well, I think he trusted in God to supply his need, and he was never disappointed, for neither he nor his wife, nor the three girls, ever went hungry. But once there came a time when the money ran very short, and at last it was all spent; still there was meal in the big meal barrel, and the mother could make the cakes upon which they lived. The father was away in a distant village, and could not help them, and when, one evening, the very last of the meal was made up, the children looked grave, and said,
“What shall we have for breakfast?”
“I do not know,” their mother said, “for the meal is finished, and I have no money to buy more, but God is able to give us food, and we must trust in Him.”
So the little girls went to bed, quite sure that mother knew all about it, and that God would provide a breakfast. But when they jumped up the next morning, and ran to look in the barrel, it was still-empty, and their faces looked very sad, and one said,
“What shall we do for breakfast?” The second one said,
“Must we go hungry to school?” What do you think the third said?
“Let us ask God for something to eat.”
The poor mother had been crying in a corner, for she could not bear to see her children go hungry, but when she heard what her little daughter was saying, she came forward, and they all knelt down together, and told the Lord all about it, —how they were hungry and wanted some food, and that the meal barrel was empty, and no money to buy more. When they had finished their prayer, the little ones said,
“Let us look and see if God has filled the barrel.”
The mother smiled as the children ran into the next room, and lifted the lid of the barrel, but in a moment there was a joyful cry,
“It is full, it is full, God has sent us food.”
Perhaps you say, “This cannot be true. God does not work miracles now.”
Possibly not, but He can put it into the heart of a man to carry out His wishes. and no doubt someone brought the meal, and poured it into the barrel, but they never found out who it was.
“God feeds the bears, and lions, too,
Provides for them what’s good;
He cares for dogs and pussy cats.
And gives the birds their food.
And when the baby lions cry,
And say they have no meat,
The Bible says, “God hears in heaven,
And gives them food to eat.”
ML 05/11/1924