On the many trips we have made from our home to visit one of our daughters, we always pass several lovely red brick buildings surrounded by park-like grounds. A sign out front says that it is a tool company. It is located near a town so small it only has a post office and a couple of houses. Though the town is a small black dot on the road map, one resident said, “It doesn’t even have a gas pump.”
On this particular trip, my wife, who was driving, slowed down as we passed through the small town. As she started to speed up, there was a strange noise under the car. We thought it might be gravel from the road, but there was no construction in the area. Then my wife said, “I’ve lost the power steering!” The instrument panel on the dashboard also told her the motor was getting hot. When we stopped to examine the problem, we were just across the road from the gate of the tool company.
Raising the hood, I easily found the problem - the fan belt had broken. Without that belt, the cooling system, air conditioning and power steering had “shut down.”
We were soon to learn again the truth of a verse in the Bible that says, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:1919But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)). We do not look for happenings to prove that the Bible is true, but it is a happy event that confirms that it is true. Because we, by faith, know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we believe His Word when He said to His father, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:1717Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)).
On entering the building to find a phone, I was greeted by Mr. Gray, the owner of the company. He immediately invited me in and offered me a cup of coffee. I told him I needed to call a tow truck to take my car back to the last town to get the fan belt replaced. He said that would not be necessary and told his assistant to call Larry, another employee. Larry was told to get the information he needed off the car and go get a fan belt. Mr. Gray then sent another employee to the car to bring my wife and daughter to the office and out of the heat.
As I waited, I thought of the verse that says, “It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:2424And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)). Those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour know our sins are forgiven. We also know God as our Father and that He often sends the help we need before we actually ask Him for it.
When my wife and daughter were brought into the office, Mrs. Gray came out of her office, offered them refreshments and visited with them while the fan belt was being replaced. Mrs. Gray insisted that we call our daughter we were going to visit and let her know we had been delayed. She would not even let us pay for the call.
Another employee, Tim, was a former auto mechanic. He had the repair made in quick time. When he finished, he told me, “I checked everything out and everything is working. Nothing was frozen up.” The whole process only delayed our arrival at our daughter’s house just a little over an hour.
While we were waiting, I went into the shop to visit with some of the other employees. When I asked one employee if he had settled the issue of where he would spend eternity, he said he had. He said he believed on the Lord Jesus, but he could not answer clearly the question, “How can you be sure?” In order to help him know for sure his sins were all washed away in the blood of Jesus, I sang to him the lines from a song many of you know: “The Bible tells me so.” A smile broke over his face, and he then could tell me how he knew for sure he would be in heaven. Another co-worker nearby had been listening to our conversation. She also said she believed on the Lord Jesus and quickly took up the same line from “Jesus Loves Me,” saying it was because the Bible told her that she knew her sins were forgiven. We know this is true, because the Word of God says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)).
When the repairs were finished and we were ready to leave, I told Mr. Gray there was no way I could pay him for the wonderful service he and his employees had given us; however, I would be more than happy to pay for the fan belt. He told me that would not be necessary. “We are just happy for the opportunity to be of help to someone along their way.” As we left, you can be sure we thanked Mr. and Mrs. Gray and their employees for all they had done for us. We have told the happy story several times to our friends and relatives.
Have you boys and girls received the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? Have you thanked Him for shedding His blood to wash your sins away? Have you told your friends and relatives the happy story of what the Lord Jesus has done for you? The Bible says, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-109That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10)).
ML-12/09/2001