A young Norwegian farm boy stood gazing wistfully down the long fjord out into the misty North Sea. Every time he looked out over the sea, it seemed to beckon him to leave his little farm and to venture out into the great world beyond. A few years later he sailed for the USA where he joined the Navy.
“Peter began to sink!” These strange words he overheard one day from a Christian preacher, and from that moment Albert began to think of eternal things. He felt he was not right with God, and knew not how he could get rid of his sins and find peace for his burdened conscience. He gave up going with his sinful companions and instead went to hear the gospel preached. Then one evening sitting at home he read in his Bible Romans 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32), and noticed the two “alls"; as he grasped their meaning, everything became clear.
“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us ALL, how shall He not with Him also freely give us ALL things.” These were wonderful words indeed, and they proved to Albert without a doubt that God had made a full provision for all who dared to trust the Son of God as Saviour. God in infinite righteousness had dealt with his sins when Jesus died. God had spared him from the judgment due to his sins, because his blessed Substitute had answered for them; he was free and God was satisfied.
The first “all” assured him that Christ had cleared him forever from all guilt and judgment and had brought peace, for his sins were gone. But now the second “all” took all his fear away. God was now his Father, and would supply his every need. It was the golden key to his future and like a door opening to his new path of life.
For a time Albert worked among the Norwegian farmers in North Dakota, giving them the gospel, and then he returned to Norway where he traveled preaching the same glad tidings.
ML-10/02/1977