"God, if there be a God, give me food! Send a bird I can shoot and kill to feed my starving family!"
The wind whipped the frayed tatters of Eric's clothing about his thin body as he stood upon the beach, trembling with weakness and crying out in despair to a God he wasn't sure existed. As he scanned the sky a large edible bird flew over his head. With great effort he tried to control the shaking of his hands as he raised his gun and pulled the trigger. In a moment the bird lay at his feet.
Strange new thoughts filled Eric's mind as he struggled up the rugged cliff to his fisherman's hut overlooking the wild waters of the Skagafjord in Iceland. He now had food for his hungry family, and it appeared to have come as an answer to his prayer. Could there really be a God? A God who knew him and cared about him? A God who could command a bird who could direct his bullet when he had been too weak and unsteady to take aim?
Eric and his family had always been poor. At times the fishing was better than others and there was plenty of food upon the table, but all too often he was tormented by hearing his children cry from hunger.
The day came when he felt he could stand it no longer. Taking his gun down he loaded it, kicked off his worn shoe, and put the muzzle of the gun in his mouth. While he fumbled for the trigger with his toe he fainted and slumped to the floor. When he came to himself he stumbled down to the beach and cried aloud to God for a bird to shoot—and God had answered!
Eric and his fellow villagers lived a rough life. God, and His Son, Jesus Christ, were merely names to be used as swear words. Cheating, stealing, drinking and fighting were the ways of life best known to them. But in the years that followed Eric often thought about how God had that one day heard his desperate cry for food. As he spent lonely hours in his fishing boat out on the icy waters of the fjord he wondered if there was a way a man could get to know more about God.
Then Eric began to have spells of sickness that grew increasingly worse. His lack of food and threadbare clothing, his exposure to bitter weather, caused him to cough until he began to bleed from his lungs. He had great pain in his back. No doctor in the area could help him, so he borrowed money and went to see doctors in larger villages. Soon his money was gone and his sickness increased.
"Why don't you try the English missionary in Akureyri?" someone suggested. "He isn't a doctor, but he does give pills, and he doesn't ask for money!"
Eric had given up hope that he would ever be well again, but as there was nothing to lose he knocked one day upon Arthur Gook's door. As the missionary listened to Eric's explanation of his symptoms he prayed earnestly to God for wisdom. He realized Eric's condition was a serious one, far beyond his limited medical skill to cope with. Thoughtfully he selected a medicine he knew would help to build up Eric's strength. Then he also carefully chose several leaflets for him to take home and read. He doubted that he would ever see Eric again, and he wanted Eric to learn the good news that God loved him and had sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for his sins, that he might be ready to meet God. Eric promised to take the medicine regularly, and to read the leaflets.
As Mr. Gook watched him wearily turn homeward it did not seem possible that Eric would live long. However, an enthusiastic letter from Eric arrived a month later. He was feeling much better. Could he have more medicine, and more to read? Another month, and a similar letter arrived. A few months later Mr. Gook received a letter with the good news that Eric could now row his boat and work his nets without becoming sick. The pain was gone from his back. Best of all, he was now trusting the Savior Mr. Gook had introduced him to.
This was so wonderful to Eric that he felt he dare not keep it to himself. He began sharing the story of God's love and salvation with his fishing pals and neighbors. Then he asked Mr. Gook if he could have a supply of Bibles and Testaments, and the leaflets that had helped him. He felt that he would like to use his now strong back for the Lord by carrying a pack of literature to more distant places. So it was, that week after week, Eric tramped over the hills and valleys, often through deep snow, until practically every home in Skagafjord County had a copy of God's good news.
Eric's neighbors could not understand the change that had taken place in him. Swear words had disappeared from his conversation. He was no longer easily angered. Even when hungry he would not cheat or steal. They became strangely uncomfortable when he was around. He was now the kind of man they each knew they should be, but in their hearts knew it was impossible for them to be.
Another long spell of poor fishing occurred when many families were hungry. God fish were teeming in the deep waters, but the herring that they needed for bait were not running. Day after day the herring nets hung limp and empty.
Eric was away with his literature pack when the good news came that a trawler had just put in at
Siglufjord, the next large port—loaded with herring! Immediately each one brought what money he could scrape together to send to purchase the bait.
When the load arrived and was being divided, someone ventured a cruel suggestion, "What do you say, men? Let's leave Eric out of this hawl! He wasn't here to put any money down so I'm all for leaving him out. Let's see what the God he talks so much about can do for him!"
When Eric returned to the village he found the men busy with their fishing gear, but no one would share any herring with him. When he realized that the men deliberately would not listen to him he turned and made his way slowly up the steep cliff to his hut.
How could he face his four hungry children, and his wife? Had God forgotten him?
No! Into his mind came the promises of God, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," "Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee," and many more. As Eric recalled God's promises he was able to rest his fears with the Lord.
Having nothing better to do he decided to go check his patched-up herring net, although he knew that there was little likelihood of finding even a few stray herring in it. Many weeks had passed since there had been herring in the fjord. The men of Iceland are such keen, experienced fishermen that they can not only tell whether there are fish running in the water, or not, but also what kind, as they look out across the fjords. Still God seemed to be prompting Eric to go look at his net!
The news spread among the villagers who were watching Eric curiously, that he was going to look at his net. This was a great joke to some, and they decided to go along to laugh at his foolishness.
Eric's net was not in the best position. Better nets were placed where they would catch the most herring, and these the men drew up first. One after another was thrown back in disgust as it proved to be empty. Finally they came to Eric's net. At the first pull it seemed to be caught. What could be holding it back? Bending their strength the men pulled again, and at last it came up—full of herring!
In great excitement the men ran to the remaining nets, but as they pulled them out they found there were no herring in any of the other nets.
The men stood speechless with astonishment while Eric thanked and praised the Lord. Still wondering, they helped him into the village with his great catch. In no time an excited crowd gathered to hear the story. Then Eric, with beaming face, invited others to share with him, and began joyfully to divide his herring among the other poor villagers who had not been able to purchase much from the recent trawler supply.
As the news spread, this generous act of returning good for evil was almost greater in the minds of the Icelandic fishermen than the miraculous net full of herring. Surely only God could so change a man's heart!
Eric found the doors and hearts of people everywhere began opening to him in his travels. One day Mr. Gook received a letter from Eric, asking him to come and preach in his village. He wrote, "The people are ready to listen to you now!"
When Arthur Gook came in answer to that letter to Hofsos, Iceland, he found that the largest building could not hold the crowds of people who came, eager to hear the message that had so changed the life of Eric the fisherman, to Eric the fisherman for Christ!
Note: This unusual story of Eric's amazing catch of herring has been verified. The Hofsos newspaper at the time carried the full account of it.