Many years ago, a brilliant, well-known scientist was on an expedition in one of the vast wilderness areas of the Middle East. One of his most trusted servants was a young Arab guide an earnest-hearted Christian. The scientist, who claimed to believe that God does not exist would often challenge the young man’s personal faith in God.
One day after the guide had finished praying, the scientist, who had overheard his prayer, once again challenged him.
“Did you ever see God?”
“No,” said the guide.
“Did you ever hear God?”
Again he replied, “No.”
“Did you ever put out your hand and touch God and feel Him?”
Once again the quiet reply, “No.”
“Then,” said the scientist arrogantly, “you are a great fool to believe in a God you have never seen, a God you have never heard, and a God you have never put out your hand and touched.”
The young Christian said nothing, and they retired to their tents for the night. Arising early the next morning, just before the sunrise, the scientist met the guide outside his tent and said to him, “There was a camel around your tent last night!”
Looking intently at the great scientist, the guide quietly asked him, “Did you see the camel?”
“No,” came the reply.
“Did you hear the camel?”
Again the reply, “No.”
“Did your hand touch and feel the camel?”
And once more the reply, “No.”
“Well,” continued the guide, “you are a very strange man of science to believe in a camel you never saw, never heard and never touched!”
“Oh,” countered the self-assured scientist, “but the camel’s footsteps are all around the tent!”
At that moment the sun was just beginning to rise in the eastern sky in all of its early morning splendor. The guide, with a graceful wave of his hand at that beautiful scene, said, “Behold, sir, the footprints of the Creator, and know that there is God!”
Twice in the Psalms we read that “the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psa. 14:1; 53:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1)
1<<To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 53:1)). We also read in the Bible that “without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]” (Heb. 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)).
Ed.