A couple visiting in a home noticed that a printed verse from the Bible was hanging in several rooms. The verse was this: “[Where] shall I go from [Your] Spirit? or [where] shall I flee from [Your] presence? If I ascend up into heaven, [You are] there. ... If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall [Your] hand lead me, and [Your] right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7-107Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7‑10)).
The couple saw the same text several places in the house and they asked their host why this was.
“There is a long story about those verses,” he said. “It starts before I was born. My parents were Christians and before my birth they prayed that I might live in a way pleasing to God. But as I grew up, I hated anything to do with religion.
“My feelings were so strong that I deliberately tried to break my parents’ hearts. I vowed that someday I would travel so far from home that I would never hear of religion again. When I was 19 years old, I carried out my threat.
“As I left, I said some things that must have deeply hurt my father and mother. I did not even tell them goodbye.
“I joined the crew of a cargo ship going to India. Away from the restraints of my parents, my life became blacker. I never heard the name of Jesus except when someone cursed.
“From India we sailed to South Africa. In port there I met two men who were planning a hunting trip into the jungles of Rhodesia. Hearing their plans fired me with a desire to go along with them. Despite my lack of experience, they accepted me for the safari, or hunting trip.
“At first, all went well with the group I was with, but after several months in the jungle, the original number had been greatly reduced. Disease had taken some of the men, lions killed others and several had deserted. Finally, the two men who led the expedition both died and with that the remaining porters left. I alone was left, in a strange land, friendless, really helpless. Now I was longing for the comfort my parents had in God.
“Not knowing what to do, I wandered toward the south, to make my way back to the port where I had first landed. One day, I was suddenly surrounded by ten African natives, armed with spears. I had a gun, but it was useless for me to fight, and one of the natives quickly disarmed me.
“Their language was strange to me, but I thought I understood what they were saying. I had heard that this was a fierce tribe and that they practiced cannibalism. When they took me to their village and put me in a straw hut, I was sure they would keep me until a day when the whole tribe would gather for a feast. Then they would eat me!
“For two days I saw no one. Alone as I was, I thought to pray to God but stubbornly refused. I realized that I had messed up my life and now I would not ask God to straighten it out.
“Then some of the natives came to get me, and as I walked by the huts, I felt like all were watching me and thinking of the feast they would soon enjoy.
“I was taken to the chief’s hut, there to be examined by him. For many minutes I stood in silence. At last, to my amazement, the chief spoke words that I well understood, ‘Do you know Jesus?’
“Never in all my life had I heard words so sweet as these, words which all but overwhelmed me. Indeed, I did know about Jesus. Though I had thought to get away from God, there in the African jungle He had found me. My heart was so touched that I knelt down right there and cried to God for forgiveness. And He did forgive me and save me.
“Now you can see why I have that text on my walls. I tried to get away from God but in His great love for me, He never let me go.
“You probably wonder about that African tribe. David Livingstone had spent a whole year with them and told them the story of salvation from sin by simply trusting in Jesus. They were cannibals no longer. Now they were gospel preachers!
“I stayed with them for six months, working with them and trying to improve their living conditions. Now, too, I remembered much that my parents had taught me about the Bible and I was able to help the natives in that way.
“Then I could wait no longer to return to my parents. In all the time I was away from them, I had never written one letter. What joy there was when they met me at the door and I told them that I was saved.”
What wonderful grace God showed to that man, never ceasing to love him, and following him wherever he went. And that same grace follows you, waits for you to bow your heart before Him, waits to hear you say that you need a Savior. Won’t you come to Jesus now? “[You] must be born again” (John 3:77Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)).
Messages of God’s Love 1/1/2023