Mr. Hunter lived in the same house with Julie and her family, but they weren’t related. He was a very good friend of Julie’s father, and he rented a room in their house. Mr. Hunter loved children, and soon he and six-year-old Julie were good friends. One evening as he was reading the newspaper in the living room, Julie ran in and said, “Please tell me a story, Mr. Hunter.”
“Sure,” said Mr. Hunter. “Sit down here beside me.”
Mr. Hunter was a very good story teller. He often told Julie about interesting things that he had seen while he was in the Navy. The story this evening was about a pet monkey that one of the sailors had on the boat. All the funny things that the monkey did made Julie laugh.
When he finished the story Julie asked, “Do you know any Bible stories?”
Mr. Hunter didn’t answer right away. When he did answer he said, “No, but I know another good story. Do you want to hear it?”
“Is it about Jesus?” asked Julie.
“No, I guess I don’t know any Bible stories or stories about Jesus,” he answered.
Julie went on, “Tell me your other story and then maybe some other time you will know a Bible story you can tell me. Mommy tells me Bible stories.”
Later that evening in his room, Mr. Hunter thought about what Julie had said. He knew Julie and her parents were Christians. Julie’s father had often spoken to him about “being saved.” It really hadn’t bothered him when Julie’s father talked to him. But now little Julie also knew that he was not saved.
Mr. Hunter looked at the text on the wall of his room: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15). “I remember my mother reading that to me,” he thought. “It didn’t mean much to me then, but now, maybe there is something to it.”
He picked up the Bible that Julie’s father had left in his room. He found the verse in 1 Timothy and read it again: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” He knew the words were meant for him. He was a sinner, and Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. It was just that easy! Right then he got down on his knees by his bed and thanked God for sending the Lord Jesus Christ to die for him. He took Him as his own Saviour. Then the Bible became a precious book to him.
After that, Mr. Hunter and Julie had many good times reading the lovely stories of the Lord Jesus in the Bible. Julie was just a little girl and Mr. Hunter was a grown man, but they were both sinners. Now they were both saved and loved the Lord Jesus Christ.
Will you take the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour?
ML-03/01/1981