The city of Juarez, Mexico is just across the Rio Grande River from El Paso, Texas. The river forms the border here between Mexico and the United States. Although the two cities are only a few miles apart, there is an unbelievable difference between them. El Paso is a city of opportunity with jobs and good living conditions. But Juarez is a poor city of 4 million people, most of whom came there hoping for a better life. Instead, they have found only more of what they left — poor conditions and misery.
Recently, Mr. and Mrs. Samuels, a Christian couple, had a day free to spend in the area of these two cities. They stopped for breakfast at a restaurant in El Paso. Bowing their heads and thanking the Lord Jesus for their food, they asked Him to guide them to meet people to whom they might be a help and who would be an encouragement to them.
Within five minutes two women sat down at a table next to them and struck up a conversation with them. These women rarely came to this restaurant, but, also being Christians, they soon realized that the Lord Jesus had guided them to pull in, just for a cup of coffee. One had prayed a prayer just like Mr. Samuels’s that morning, and it wasn’t long before they all felt that the Lord had brought them together for a purpose.
The Samuels were soon using their time to help out for a day in Juarez, Mexico. The two Christian women were part of a group that gather food, clothing and firewood and deliver it daily to the hungry and cold and homeless along with the good-news message of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The night before, the temperature had fallen to-4°F, and a 22-inch snowfall had recently hit the area. Most of the people they went to help were not used to such cold weather and had no way of keeping warm. The year before, 75 of them had frozen to death in similar weather.
As they handed out clothing and firewood from the back of several pick-up trucks, they saw a little girl with no shoes on her feet and wearing only a flimsy dress, standing in the snow. One of the houses they went into had a fire burning right on the concrete floor with no chimney to take the smoke away. Little children were huddled around warming their hands. The smoke was choking the Samuels, so they had to leave. They went into town and bought a number of blankets and passed them out, but it wasn’t nearly enough with so many in need.
In Juarez, the city of hope to many, there are few jobs, no trees for firewood, and little can be grown to eat. But worse than that, there are many who have never heard that God loves them — that He is the only One who can give them a changed life — the only real hope in this world of sin and misery.
Sin has brought such a curse on this earth that many children are suffering untold misery. But even worse, after a life of suffering many will end up in eternal misery, for they will not receive the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.
Do you have a life of suffering? We hope not. It is good to have a place we can call home where there are comforts like heat, plenty of blankets, shoes on our feet, food on our tables, and above all, love in our family. If you have such a home, thank the Lord Jesus for it and let your parents know that you appreciate it, by helping them and showing that you love them.
But what about your soul? Are you saved from your sins and enjoying the warmth, comfort and love of the Lord Jesus? If not, then you will suffer for all eternity in the lake of fire. But God is “not willing that any should perish.” 2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). Just as the Samuels were sent to show love, and help a few in Mexico with their natural needs, God, showing His love, has sent the Lord Jesus into this world to save those who will accept His love from the suffering of the punishment for their sins.
The Lord Jesus “suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18). But just as these people in Mexico had to come out of their houses to let them know they needed help, you must come to the Lord Jesus to receive His love. He calls out to you, “Come unto Me.” Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28). His offer is available right now. Don’t delay. The joy and peace of knowing the Lord Jesus will be yours now and for all eternity.
In addition to giving people wood, food and clothing that day, they told them about the true hope, the love of the Lord Jesus who died for them on Calvary’s cross.
We pray that they will accept this true hope and that you will too.
ML-07/10/1988