Who of us would walk eighty-four miles to obtain a Bible? Colporteur Fedorenco, who traveled in North Bessarabia, tells this story.
One fine morning a man came to me and asked for a large family Bible of the latest edition. I did not have such a copy with me at that time, but I asked him where he came from, and he told me he had come on foot from his village, a distance of fourteen miles. As I saw his great longing to have the Bible, I told him the Lord wanted to test his faith, for I did not have a copy at that actual moment but would soon obtain one for him. The man was encouraged by this and returned home.
Three days had not passed when he came again and asked for the Bible, but I had not yet received it. I told him he should remain in town a day or two and the Bible would come all right, but he replied that he did not have any more patience and that he could not remain in town any longer. He did not have enough money to pay for his board and lodgings, and he did not want to spend the money he had saved for the Bible. He therefore went home again. On the same day I received the packet with the Bible. When a few days later the man returned with his knapsack on his back, his first words were, “Is the Bible here?”
On my telling him it had arrived, his face, tired from the long walk, lit up all over with joy, for his hope had been fulfilled. I gave him the Bible. He read a few verses from it, paid me at once, and went on his way. A fine example for many, to come three times for the Word of God; the love of the gospel did not count the long walk of fourteen miles—eighty-four miles altogether.
Surely the Lord would bless this dear man for his ardent desire to possess and to read His precious Word, to the blessing of his soul. The difficulties may be great, but love finds a way. May we value, dear reader, what God has put into our hands— “the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. 3:1515And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15).
ML 09/10/1967