Many years ago, a young couple, Mr. and Mrs. Scott, moved to Africa to share the good news of God’s salvation in the Lord Jesus with those who had never heard. Many interesting and difficult things happened to them in their life in Africa.
In those days, malaria, a disease caused by mosquitoes, was a common problem in Africa, as it is now. Mr. and Mrs. Scott had gotten malaria many times. They were both getting weaker and weaker. They needed some good food to build up their strength, and they decided milk would help. The only way to get milk was to buy a cow.
About 50 miles from their home were some villages where there were more cows than anywhere close to them. Mr. Scott decided to go there to share the gospel and to try to buy a couple
of cows.
He asked some travelers who had recently returned from that area if there was any water on the trail, and they said there was a little about halfway across the wilderness. He chose five men to go with him on his journey. Taking all the camping things and food they would need for the journey and several water flasks, the six men started walking, hoping to reach the water they had heard about by that night.
The sun was hot as they traveled, and Mr. Scott’s small water bottle was empty before the afternoon. When the sun set, they were still not to the place where they expected to find the water. They started walking faster and, just as it got dark, they arrived at the place.
What a disappointment! Instead of water, there was only mud. Many footprints of wild animals showed that there had been water there, and there was still a little fluid in the center of the pool. One of the men took a cloth and spread it down on the muddy liquid. He lay down on his face, put his lips against the cloth, and was able to suck up a little water. The other men also did this, but Mr. Scott could not make himself do it.
Since it was dark, they needed to find a place to sleep safely. There were no flashlights in those days, but by feeling around, they found a patch of thick bushes. Making a path into this patch, they made a fire at the entrance to keep the lions out. Very tired and extremely thirsty, they lay down to rest. Eventually, they fell asleep and forgot how thirsty they were for a little while. About the middle of the night, they woke up hearing a lion jump on an animal close to where they were. They heard them struggle for a while, and then everything got quiet, and once more they fell asleep.
When morning came, feeling a little better, they started walking again. As they went, Mr. Scott found some dewdrops on leaves, and this slightly helped his thirst. But when the sun got higher, he became very weak, and finally, he could not keep walking. First, the others cut down a pole in the forest and tied his blanket to it like a hammock, so they could carry him. But they were also weak from thirst, and before long, they collapsed. Mr. Scott realized that something must be done quickly, or they would all die. Praying to God for guidance, he and the men talked things over.
They had already come 30 miles from their station, so going back was impossible. They still had 20 miles to go to get to more water. So, it was decided that two of the strongest men would take the water containers and start walking as quickly as they could to reach the water. After drinking what they needed, they would fill the others’ bottles and come back. The rest of the group would keep walking slowly to meet them.
The two men left. After resting, the others got up and went on slowly together, but they could only go about 500 or 600 yards. After resting, they went another few hundred yards. Slowly, they made some progress, until the sun was high in the heavens, burning hot. As the hours passed, their thirst became more extreme. Mr. Scott’s tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, making it hard for him to talk. Eventually he could not go more than about 100 yards at a time, and only if one of the men helped him. Finally, he realized that he could go no further. To the friend who had stayed close by his side, he said as plainly as he could, “Sudi, I can go no further. If the men do not bring water here, I will die.” He threw himself down under the partial shade of a huge baobab tree and prayed to God for one drop of rain to cool his feverish body.
While he was praying, a little cloud appeared in the sky. Carried by a God-directed wind, it came directly to where he was lying, and instantly a few big drops fell. The drops increased until there was a little shower of rain. He opened his mouth and opened his shirt to catch the precious water. In about five minutes or less the rain stopped, but Mr. Scott felt much better. He got up and was able to go on slowly all afternoon until sundown, when they met the two men who were carrying the water containers. What a relief! Water at last!
The next day, they were able to reach the village belonging to the chief of the area, and they were able to share the good news of the gospel with them. Afterward, the chief kindly sold them two cows with calves.
Have you ever been really thirsty? Most of us can hardly imagine what it would be like not to have water available to drink when we are thirsty. Sadly, there is coming a time when those who don’t believe in the Lord Jesus will go to hell, where they will burn in a fire that will never stop, and there will be no water forever and ever. Hell is a terrible place and God doesn’t want to send anyone there, because “God is love” (1 John 4:88He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)). But it is also true that “God is light” (1 John 1:55This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)). That means that He is holy. Because He is holy, no sin can come into His presence in heaven. We have all sinned, so how can anyone go to heaven and not go to the terrible place called hell? The good news is that God has made the way. In His great love, He sent His precious Son, the Lord Jesus, to earth. One terrible day, Jesus was nailed to a cross. The sun got dark for three hours, and God put all the sins of those who would believe on Him upon His holy Son, and God punished Him for those sins. Jesus paid the price we could never pay. Now God offers free salvation to everyone who is willing to admit that they have sinned and trust in the Lord Jesus to save them. Have you done that?
Messages of God’s Love 1/26/25