“Fire! Fire! The school is on fire!”
The children were busy at their lessons one morning when someone burst open the door of their classroom and shouted the terrible message. At once the children sprang from their desks and rushed towards the door. So many tried to get out at the same time that there was danger of some being trampled down by the rest.
However, during this rush and panic, there was one dear little girl, Mary, who sat quietly in her seat and did not move at all.
Soon it was found that the alarm was false, and the pupils again went back to their seats in the classroom. Then the girl next to little Mary turned and said to her, “Mary, how is it that you could sit so quiet and unafraid when everybody else rushed out?”
“My Daddy told me,” said Mary quietly, “that if there was a fire alarm, it was best to sit still in our seats and wait for the teacher to tell us what to do. My daddy is a fireman, and he knows best.”
Here was faith. Little Mary trusted her father’s word, and she was not afraid. Sometimes our fathers make mistakes, but those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour have a Father in heaven whom they can always believe and trust, even though many around may be frightened. God tells us in His Word, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.” Isa. 26:33Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3).
Faith is a very simple thing,
Though little understood;
It frees the soul from death’s dread sting,
By resting on the blood.
Faith is not what we see or feel;
It is a simple trust
In what the God of love has said
Of Jesus as the Just.
ML-06/12/1977