When W. P. Mackay left home for college at the age of seventeen, his mother gave him a Bible. On the inside cover she wrote his name, her name and a Bible verse.
He later was graduated from medical school with high honors, and eventually became head of a large hospital. He was also president of an atheistic society and freely engaged in “high living.” He was quite outspoken in his criticism of God and the Bible.
One day a severely injured man was carried into the hospital. As Dr. Mackay looked him over, he was amazed to see the peace and radiance on the man’s face.
“Just what is my condition?” asked the man. “Oh, I guess we’ll pull you through,” replied the doctor.
“Doctor, I don’t want any guess work. I want to know if it is life or death: I am ready. I am not afraid to die because I have put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. He paid the penalty for my sins and I know I will be with Jesus if I die.”
“You have at the most three hours to live” replied Dr. Mackay. “Is there anything you would like for us to do?”
“Thank you,” said the man. “In my pocket is my paycheck. Would you send it to my landlady and ask her to send me the book?”
“What book?” inquired the doctor.
“Oh, just ask her for the book. She will know.”
The doctor made arrangements to do as the man asked, and then went on to other patients, but he could not forget the words of the man who wasn’t afraid to die.
Usually Dr. Mackay did not have personal interest in his patients but this time he returned to the unit where the man was taken and asked the nurse how he was. “He died a few minutes ago,” she informed him.
“Did he get the book in time?” he asked. “Yes, just before he died.”
“What was it? His bank book?” questioned the doctor.
“No,” she replied, “It is still there under his pillow; go take a look.”
Dr. Mackay went to the bedside, reached under the man’s pillow and pulled out a Bible. As he did so it opened to the inside cover, and there in his mother’s handwriting was his own name, her name and the Bible verse! It was the very same Bible his mother had given him when he left home for college. One time, years before at college, while drunk he had pawned it to be able to buy more liquor.
Dr. Mackay was amazed and overwhelmed by memories. He rushed to his office and fell on his knees and asked God for mercy and forgiveness for his sinful life.
He realized that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...” (1 Tim. 1: 15), and that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
God had His eye on that Bible and answered that mother’s prayers. Dr. Mackay the atheist became a preacher of the gospel. What a transformation!
Do you know that God loves you and wants to be your Savior too? “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
Judgment day is coming! God says, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15). Are you ready? Don’t be judged in hell for your sins, when Jesus Christ has already taken your punishment. Trust Christ and be free!
All Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible,
New International Version. Copyright ©1978, New
York International Bible Society. Used by permission.