John wasn’t really that old, but still he held the little paperback and squinted at the words. What does it say? Is it “pharmacy?” That must be it, he thought out loud. It must be a prescription from the doctor.
He handed the paper to the clerk. “It’s up to you to read it,” he said as he tucked his glasses into his pocket.
“This is difficult to read.” He nodded as she squinted at the words. “What does it say?”
Now he didn’t feel so bad; her eyes were a lot younger than his!
“What is this medication?” she asked. “Is this that new cancer drug?” Poor John almost leaped right out of his shoes.
“Oh. I’m sorry. But I can’t read this word. And there’s no doctor’s signature. It’s funny, I know, but at the top it looks like it says ‘pet store’ or something.”
“Wait a minute. I’ll call my wife.”
She answered, “Oh, hi, John. Did you go to the pet store for the dog food?”
“Oops! No, dear, I’m on my way.” Now John knew what the note said. He smiled and took the note as he turned away. “It does say ‘pet store’ at the top.”
It was a funny mistake, but it made me think about the important question, “What does it say?” It does matter. Recipes must be read carefully and road signs are important. And the road map for life—the Bible—is most important of all. And what does it say?
Happily, we can read the Bible in our own language and even in large print. We have no excuse for not knowing what it says. What does it say about our sin, about our need to be “born again”? Did Jesus talk about these things?
Of course He did. He said, “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” He solemnly said: You “shall die in your sins: [where] I go, [you] cannot come” (John 8:2121Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. (John 8:21)). He is in heaven. And you? Are you on the way to hell? When will you arrive there?
Today?
Of course, the Lord Jesus also spoke about the prodigal son who wasted his time, money and health as he played with sin. But sin proved to be his master, and you’ll remember how he repented and went back home to his father. There he found forgiveness. Do you remember what it says? Read Luke 15 and see how he asked for mercy and found it.
What does it say? It pays to know!