Jamie lived on the coast of England within sight of the ocean. He went to school but had so much trouble learning that he was taken out and sent to stay with his grandma. Maybe she could help him.
Jamie’s grandma was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and instead of beginning with the ABC’s, she began by teaching Jamie about the love of God. She read Bible stories to him of how Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, and fed lots of people with just a few loaves of bread and fishes. All this was new to Jamie. He had never read the Bible or Sunday school papers like you are reading now.
When Grandma explained how God took care of His creation and even fed the birds, Jamie didn’t agree that God fed them. “Oh no. We give the crumbs to the birds,” he said. But just then a flock of sea gulls flew by. “Who feeds these?” asked Grandma. Jamie had to admit, “God feeds the gulls.”
Soon after this Jamie went back home, and one day his family, being very poor, used up the last of their food. He and his brothers and sisters went to bed hungry. In the morning with no breakfast in the house, his mother told him to take the younger children down to the seashore to play. So Jamie led them to the shore to play in the sand and build sand castles. Soon the children were busy and forgot their hunger. But Jamie went for a little walk along the beach. He watched the sea gulls flying, dipping to the water and finding plenty to eat. Jamie cried, “God, You feed the gulls; why will You not give us bread?” Sad and hungry, he started back to the children. But before he’d gone very far, he saw something glittering in the sunlight on the sand. He picked it up. It was a large coin! God had heard his cry and sent the answer!
The children ran home quickly with Jamie and the piece of money, and their mother used it to buy bread for their breakfast.
Jamie learned a valuable lesson that day — God will provide for those who trust in Him. Jamie trusted in God not just for food, but to wash away his sins. When Jamie grew up, he became a preacher of the wonderful gospel story that tells of God’s love for sinners. That love is so great that He sent His Son to die on the cross of Calvary and suffer for the sins of all those who will accept Him as their Saviour. Will you trust Him to be your Saviour now and experience God’s wonderful love and care in your life?
“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust” (Psalm 91:2).
ML-01/01/2012