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Saved by a Fly
“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).
“But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear” (Zechariah 7:11).
The story is told of a hardened unbeliever who went one day to see — but not to hear — the evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) when he preached outdoors to a great crowd.
When he arrived at the place and sized things up, he decided to climb a tree in order to have a good vantage point. Settling himself on one of the branches and putting his fingers in both ears, he began to watch the mighty preacher. Then a persistent fly lit on his nose. He shook his head, but the pesky fly wouldn’t move.
Just as he removed his hand from an ear to flick the fly away, Whitefield quoted the verse, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15). Then he spoke of the willful refusal of many to hear the voice of the Spirit of God striving with them. The unbelieving man was so impressed by what had happened that he not only opened his ears to the gospel, but also his heart.
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