Mr. Strong was a colporteur who sold Bibles and gospel literature from door to door in England several years ago. He knew the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and earnestly wanted others to know of Him too.
At one door, while speaking to a woman, her daughter came out and rudely interrupted them.
“What nonsense you are talking. There is no God and no resurrection,” she said. “Mother, how can you listen to him?”
“Susie,” said her mother, “I want to hear what he has to say. If there’s no God and no resurrection, what good is it to live at all? Maybe he can tell me something better.”
“You say there is no God, Susie?” said Mr. Strong. “How do you account for all this loveliness around?” He pointed to the beautiful landscape of woods, hills and corn fields, and the riant sun above.
“Oh, it just came,” she replied.
“Did it?” said Mr. Strong. “I read in this Book, the Bible, that it was in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. There is no suggestion that it ‘just came’ in the way you mean. Perhaps we might say reverently that it just came in obedience to God’s command.”
Susie was a little uncomfortable, but said, “That’s only the Bible after all.”
“Only the Bible. See what it says of you,” and Mr. Strong showed her Psalm 53: 1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”
Susie stared at Mr. Strong a moment, and then cried, “I don’t want to hear any more,” and went away. But her mother wanted to hear more, and Mr. Strong told her of the Lord Jesus Christ and left a text and New Testament with her.
Some time later Mr. Strong went through Susie’s village again, but when he knocked on the door, she slammed the door in his face.
A few months later, he called again, and Susie appeared. “Well?” she asked ungraciously, “what is it? You won’t get me like you have Mother. She is all your way of thinking. She says she is saved.”
“Saved!” said Mr. Strong. “I thank God. Is she happy now?”
“Happy! Yes. Gone out to tell somne else about it.”
Before leaving he gave her a gospel booklet, which she promised to read.
Next time he called, he felt convinced a change was taking place in Susie’s heart. But it was slow, for she did not like to give up her infidel views.
Again he called, and when she saw him coming, she went to meet him, and to his joy she said, “Mr. Strong, I have given myself to the Lord Jesus at last. How could I ever have treated Him as I did?” She was radiantly happy.
The last time he visited Susie’s home, she was ill in bed, but he and her motr went upstairs to see her. The three of them had a time of joy in the Lord, into whose presence the young girl was so soon to enter. A few days later he called again, only to find that Susie had passed away, but she had left him a message. “Tell Mr. Strong that I have gone to be with the Lord. Tell him it was bright for me all the way.”
And this was from a girl whose first words to him had been, “There is no God and no resurrection.” What a wonderful testimony to the almighty power of God.
How is it with you, dear reader?
ML 03/29/1959