Memory Verse: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
Mr. Meyer, a Christian man from West Germany, was traveling in Communist Russia several years ago. Having finished his business, he was returning to his hotel in Moscow. However, because he did not understand much of the Russian language, he got lost. Seeing a policeman directing traffic at a busy corner, he went over and asked him for directions, using more German words than Russian. The policeman, hearing Mr. Meyer’s sprinkling of German words, spoke to him in German. “I learned German during the war,” explained the policeman. “I don’t get much opportunity to practice it. I’ll be taking a lunch break in a few minutes. Can we talk for a few minutes?”
Mr. Meyer agreed since he was not in a great hurry to get back to his hotel. Soon the two men were chatting happily over lunch.
During the conversation, Mr. Meyer kept looking for an opportunity to tell the policeman about the Lord Jesus. He silently prayed, asking the Lord Jesus to guide him as to what he should do. He knew that if he talked about the Lord Jesus, he could be turned over to the Russian secret police. Then any future visits to Russia would be impossible.
Suddenly Mr. Meyer felt he had the answer. He had a German Bible in his briefcase. In the middle of their conversation, he opened his briefcase and took out his German Bible. He knew that this was safe to do since visitors to Russia are allowed to keep anything they own. “But,” he thought, “how can I give this to the policeman?”
Setting the Bible on the table between them, Mr. Meyer looked at his watch and then quickly got up saying, “I’m sorry to have to leave, but I must get back to my hotel.” Then turning, he left the Bible on the table, praying that the Russian policeman would take the Bible home and read it.
Later that evening Mr. Meyer received a telephone call from the policeman. “You left your book on the table in the restaurant when you left today. I have it. What shall I do with it?” he asked.
“Why don’t you keep it for now,” answered Mr. Meyer. “It’s written in German. Read it so that you can keep up with the language. I will be returning in several months and will contact you then.”
Mr. Meyer returned to Germany and prayed for the Russian policeman. His prayer was that the man would read the Bible and see that the Lord Jesus is the only Saviour of sinners and be saved.
When he returned to Russia, he called the policeman on the telephone and asked about the Bible.
“Yes, I have your Bible,” answered the policeman. “I read it every day. Have you come to take it back?”
“Not if you want to keep it,” answered Mr. Meyer.
“Do you really mean that?” exclaimed the policeman. His voice was so happy that Mr. Meyer felt certain that God was working with him.
“Yes, keep the Bible,” added Mr. Meyer. “Keep it as a gift from me that God will bless.”
“God has already blessed me,” the policeman said. “I have found Jesus Christ, and He is my Saviour. What more do I need? That gift is worth more than all the world’s wealth put together!”
How wonderful are the ways of God! This dear Russian man behind the Iron Curtain is now a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. We can pray for him and others like him in lands where the gospel cannot be told out like it can in other countries. How thankful we should be that we have the freedom to read our Bibles and talk about the Lord Jesus without fear!
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of all sinners in every country—Russia, Germany, United States, England, Africa, India—everyone can be saved. As the Sunday school song says, “Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight.” He is the Saviour for boys and girls and older folks, too. God says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13). You are a “whosoever.” Have you called upon Him yet? Can you say, “Yes, Jesus died for me"?
ML-03/11/1984