It was a cold night in January, 1950, when I first visited Iceland. I don’t suppose that many of our readers have been to that country, but perhaps you can find it on your map.
When I hear of Iceland I am reminded of a story told me by a man who often used to visit there. His story was of Eirik, an Icelandic fisherman. Erik heard the gospel at a service one Sunday evening, and right then and there, he accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour. This made a great change in his life, and his longing desire was that others also might know Jesus, and share his new-found joy.
It may surprise you to learn that most of Eirik’s old friends mocked him when he told them the wonderful news of salvation and of his Saviour, for they had no interest in salvation.
Nearly everyone in Erik’s village made their living by fishing, and sometimes their work was not too successful. One day, after a long spell of fishing without any result, the news flew around the village that the bay was teeming with codfish. The fishermen always used bits of herring in their nets for bait, but they had no herring left! All the men searched their boats and their nets for bits of herring, but not, a piece did they find. And Eirik’s net was empty too! But Eirik did something that none of the other thought of doing. He went right home and told the Lord all about it, and asked Him to supply his need. Then he walked down to the water and let out his nets into the bay. One by on he watched the villagers pull in their nets, but all were empty. Then he tried to pull up his net, but found it very heavy. It was full of herring! Eirik’s heart rejoiced, but his neigors looked on with envy. They knew that they had mocked Erik’s happy trust in the Lord, and they knew that they had even tried to hide from him the news about the codfish. But what do you think Eirik did with his catch of herring? He called the villagers together, and told them of his prayer to the Lord, and before them, all, he knelt and thanked God for the answer given. Then he divided the herring equally among them all. Before the day was over, they had all had a fine catch of codfish.
That evening, the conversation in most of the homes was not about their codfish, but about Eirik, and God’s answer to his prayer, and his unselfish dividing of his catch amongst those who despised him.
It was the beginning of a real work of God in that village, and many of those who had despised Eirik’s faith, came to him and asked him the way of salvation. With great joy Eirik was to point one and another to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear reader, have you ever mocked at those who sought to speak well of the Lord Jesus? Yet He loves you. He died for sinners, and He wants to cleanse your guilty heart right now, and give you pardon and salvation.
ML 11/25/1951